A Chance at Happiness
by Wilhelmina Vandom
Summary: An abused Will is given a chance to find a life worth living when Luba goes against the Oracle and sends the redhead to a new world where she is needed and wanted. WARNINGS: Contains mature themes though nothing explicit.
1. Chapter 1

Will pulled her pillow to her naked battered body, crying into it and Dean stood at the foot of her bed pulling his pants back on. This was the third time this week and she was to the point of wanting to kill herself as no one cared. Not even her mother who was just in the other room and even knew what was going on as Dean had hit the redhead hard after Susan called her a stupid idiot after failing another History test. And this was only the end to what seemed like a perfect day from Cornelia and the other girls spitefully ignoring her all day to Matt and Caleb beating the hell out of her after school for daring to speak up and refuse to go to the guardian meeting.

She hated her life so much as it only seemed to get worse with each passing day as her mother had started blaming everything that went wrong on her since Tony had abandoned them three years ago on her twelfth birthday. Since then it seemed the older woman had brought home a different guy almost every weekend. Some of the guys were pretty nice and the redhead often found herself fantasizing about them staying and becoming her new father making everything better.

It never happened though as Susan's attitude became worse almost daily and degraded from words to actually smacking her around to finally beating her with anything handy and even letting her newest boy toy rape her on a constant basis.

If her home life wasn't bad enough her friends had become just as bad. At first the girls was a godsend as they had accepted her into their tight group as the five became guardians. As it grew harder and harder though the girls began to resent Will for it and began talking down to her and ridiculing her every decision. Then Elyon was taken from them and they had blamed her for it, even holding her while Cornelia took out her frustration and rage on the redhead.

No one would help the redhead either as she had tried going to the police but Tom, Irma's dad, was furious that Will was what he said lying about everything and wrote it off. Even when she tried to kill herself no one even cared except to punish her for it. They had even finally met the Oracle right after that as he told her how sickened he was of her stupidity and told her he had no idea why the Heart of Candracar could choose such filth as her.

Now the redhead was just hoping through each day almost on auto pilot hating her life and constantly wishing for death but the fear of trying again and failing kept her from it as the pain that her mother and Dean caused the last time paled in comparison to the little bit of pain she felt when she slit her wrist.

When Matt found out about the whole guardian thing he became enraged that Will would hide something like that from him. He went from the caring and loving boyfriend, the only light in her life, to the jealous and hateful man he was now.

When they finally defeated Phobos a few days earlier Will was hoping that her friends would finally forgive her but they didn't. The had told her that if it wasn't guardian business they never wanted to see her again. She told them that if they didn't want to see her she didn't want to see them at all. That turned out real well as Matt and Caleb confronted her and when she refused to go took turns beating the hell out of her.

"Miss Will, there is a phone call for you." Judy's, her cell phone said coming from her nightstand. She wanted to ignore it but Caleb had warned her that if she did ever again that he would through her in a cell with Phobos and see what he would do to her in revenge for his downfall.

"Hello." Will croaked hitting the call button after picking up the phone.

"Will, get your ass to Candracar now." Came Cornelia's angry voice over the phone, "Hay Lin's grandmother is taking us there now."

"I'm coming." Will sighed, wincing from the pain as she moved. She didn't have time to get cleaned up as she sat up. She hit the end call button and threw the phone across the room before cursing. She was going to probably get another beating from her mother for this, the woman hated anytime Will damaged anything.

Getting up she went to get dressed, having to forget about putting a bra on as it hurt to much and opted for a loose over sized t-shirt with VMJ on it and a pair of jeans. Slipping her shoes on she didn't bother going to the mirror and fixing her appearance as no one gave a damn about it or her anyways.

Moments later she was standing in the vast chamber of the Oracle surrounded by the angry delegates on the council and four guardians glaring at her.

"It is about time you arrived." The Oracle said coldly, looking at the redhead in disgust.

"I'm sorry I'm late." Will sighed though it was only five minutes at the most since Cornelia's c all.

"I don't want to hear your excuses, your job as the Keeper is over as is the others as is the Guardians. They have already returned their powers to the aurameres, all that is left is for you to hand the Heart back over." The Oracle said as Luba, the kind cat like woman walked up to Will.

"I must take Will to the aurameres chamber to ensure her powers are completely drained as they are much stronger that the others." Luba said after Will regretfully returned the Heart. She couldn't use it though to protect herself as she had tried once and it had sent sever shocks through her body making her feel like she was being electrocuted.

"I will take the others home." Yan Lin said bowing deeply to the Oracle.

"Of course Yan Lin, thank you for your services. If you or the other guardians ever need anything just let me know." The Oracle said smiling brightly at the older woman though Will knew that she herself wasn't included in that statement as The Oracle often told her how disgusted he was that she was ever chosen to be the Keeper.

She silently followed the older gentle woman through the sterile halls of the floating fortress until they arrived in the room with a pedestal in the center and five bright balls of energy spinning around in a circle.

"We must hurry." Luba said hurrying to the center, "The Oracle must not know what I am doing until it is done."

"Wh-What?" Will asked in shock as Luba held the Heart by it's chain over the aurameres as the spun around it. The woman said something in a strange language that Will couldn't even make sense of before all five aurameres melted into the Heart. Luba was gasping for breath as she pressed the Heart back into Will's almost unresponsive hands. What was the woman doing?

"Go Will, make a better life for yourself and be happy." Luba said as tears was falling down her face. "I'm so sorry this is all I could do for you."

"But…" Will started as The Oracle stormed into the room.

"What the hell is the meaning of this?" The Oracle demanded glaring at the two.

"GO!" Luba screamed at Will scaring the redhead into making a fold and stepping through it. As soon as it closed the entire fortress started shaking violently, chunks of the ceiling falling as the walls started turning black and turning to dust in places.

"You fool! Do you know what you have done?" The Oracle demanded.

"Yes." Luba said peacefully waiting for her fate, "I gave a girl who deserved better a chance for a good life and a world who deserves her a chance to find peace."

"You idiot!" The Oracle growled just before the two was crushed under the massive collapse from the structure caving in on itself.

WITCH

Will stumbled to her bed drained from the energy taken from her to create the fold back home. She wasn't sure what Luba had done but she was sure that whatever it was had caused the Heart to drain more power than usual for the fold home. The redhead stumble to her bed before collapsing into it, a part of her mind wondering where the stuffed frogs came from as the were launched into the air around her from the crash landing in the bed.

"WILL!" Susan's voice screeched causing Will to jump into a sitting position, wincing from the pain as the older woman crashed into her holding the younger girl tightly while sobbing loudly.

"M-Mom, I'm sorry I went out last night." Will whimpered as she struggled to escape the tight embrace from the older woman. Finally the woman pushed a frightened redhead to arms length and studied the girl.

"Oh god, is it really you?" Susan cried, tears streaming almost like twin waterfalls confusing the redhead. Looking at the woman though she could see minor differences in her features. Her eyes weren't hard and hateful like they usually were, nor was there and redness in them from them being bloodshot from a hangover like most morning.

"Mom, what's going on?" Will asked looking around the room to notice the huge differences. There was posters of groups she didn't even really know except for VMJ as his CD was the last one she had gotten before her mother turned psycho. There was a full closet of what looked like new clothes from the redhead's view from the bed. There was a computer sitting on a nice desk in the corner as well as a small shelf CD player sitting on a dresser. All over any place that there was a perch was frogs of all kinds ranging from stuffed to pewter. This wasn't her room, her room was barren except a few outfits that wasn't any better than rags as its all Susan said she deserved.

"I thought you were killed by Phobos!" Susan cried pulling the redhead into another tight embrace, stroking her hair as she fought from crying out at the pain the tight embrace was causing her. "What happened to you, are you okay?"

Question in Will's mind is what happened to her mother, why was she acting all nice? And how in the hell did she find out about Phobos?

NOTES

This is a story that I had posted on my web site under story ideas but decided to post it here to as I'm making it into a full story. In fact I'll be taking a break from Never a Normal Life until Saturday or Sunday as I rework some of where it is going and try and take a little more time with it as several has suggested like Aesop. Hope the next arc of it will be better. As for this story I have a second chapter done that I will post in a little bit as I read through it again and make sure it's okay to be posted. Also, I only need to type up one more page for chappie 3 and I'll post it as well. Fans of Fear or Hate will be happy to hear that I will be starting work on it's full story version very soon so keep an eye out for it.


	2. Chapter 2

Susan sighed sadly as she sat on the edge of the hospital bed where her daughter that had gone missing almost two years ago now lay fast asleep thanks to the pain medication the doctors had given her. After seeing the damage to the redhead after finding her asleep in her bed Susan brought her to the hospital to get checked out though Will kept begging her not to hurt her anymore which was breaking her heart. The only thing she could figure out was that Will must have been trapped on Meridian all this time and must have suffered greatly under severe torture.

Will had extensive bruising and several lacerations and welts across her back, arms and legs as if someone was beating her with a belt and it had dug into the skin causing numerous cuts. There was damage pointing to her recently being raped as well as they did a rape kit on her and took some samples for proof if the girl could tell them who but many of them felt it was pretty much useless because they couldn't exactly punish the Prince for it as they couldn't get to him or his goons after he found a way to tap the veil and use it's powers to nullify any technology including most weapons on Meridian.

Thankfully there was only a few portals still open though which made it near impossible for Phobos to conduct a full scale invasion of Earth and there was soldiers guarding those locations with heavy assault weapons making sure the Prince stayed confined to Meridian while Heatherfield and the surrounding cities became a temporary home to the refugees from there as well as Elyon and her adoptive family after Phobos nearly killed her by draining most of her powers. It was a miracle that she was even able to escape at all.

When Will went missing everyone had looked for her and it was during the time Elyon was still under the impression that Phobos was good and she had sworn that she had never seen Will at the castle which led many to believe that the redhead was dead. Support for that theory came when it became common knowledge among the parents of their children being these Guardians that was fighting against Phobos. Their powers had weakened considerably which Yan Lin said could have been caused by two things, the Heart being destroyed which weakened the link considerably as it was the conduit between Candracar and Earth and the lifeforce of Candracar. If the Heart was destroyed it would destroy Candracar unless it was able to draw power from the aurameres to give the fortress at the center of infinity the power to keep itself stable which would explain the girls limited powers as they would still have a slight connection.

The second and most unlikely reason would be that the girls were punished for some reason and they were stripped of their powers. This was unlikely because they had more power than should have been possible as anyone who became a guardian would always retain a slight portion of power as their bodies would have absorbed some power over time and would retain it. The more an ex-guardian would use it though the more of the powers they would use draining the energy still in their body. Since a guardian would usually be a guardian for years their body would be saturated with it and never have to really worry about running out before their time but the girls hadn't been guardians for very long and couldn't have built up a decent reservoir of power and by all means should have been drained by now but they were still secretly fighting the few of Phobos's minions that some how sneaked by the guard posts.

Either option didn't mater to Susan though as she was sure her daughter was alive somewhere. She refused to give up hope that Will was alive which usually just earned sad looks from everyone around her except for Dean. She often found herself spending time with the man as he seemed to be the only one besides herself that hasn't given up hope yet. He had often comforted her after her fights with Will and told her to give the redhead time to adjust because she was probably just scared of losing Susan like her dad.

Susan understood it and often cut Will some slack but it still didn't stop the two Vandom women from butting heads because they were both too stubborn for their own good. Dean often laughed at it though and said he loved both of them for it, Susan as a lover and Will as a daughter which he said he wanted to make official so many times but refused to until Will was able to come to terms with which always made Susan thankful as though she loved Dean very much her daughter was her life. While causing fights between the two if Susan believed Will was really hurt because of her seeing Dean she would stop it. Will was only upset because he was her teacher which wasn't fair to either Susan or Dean though Susan almost broke up with Dean still until Will told her not to. Will had said she wanted her mother to be happy and actually admitted to being scared and she was using him being a teacher as an excuse to attack him as a choice. She admitted she really didn't want Susan dating anyone because she was scared but after several long mother daughter talks Will had started to get over her fright of losing Susan only for the dark haired woman to lose her daughter.

Susan gently brushed a few strands of hair from the redhead's face and if she didn't see the damage or see Will wince every time she was touched or moved too much it would have looked like she was perfectly fine. There was more damage than what was recent, there was signs of her having had several bones broken in the past that never healed right but nothing that would really affect her physically now. The pain that she had went through having her arm broke then one of her legs and a couple of ribs that wasn't broken completely but had been fractured had to have some effect on the younger girl mentally.

"Mom?" Will asked hoarsely, slowly opening her eyes and looked up in confusion and fear at the dark haired woman who was looming over her.

"It's okay honey, your home now." Susan said smiling softly, "Phobos can't hurt you anymore."

"Phobos?" Will asked as her eyes went wide, "H-How did you know about him?"

"It was almost a year ago when, I think his name was Frost, he was attacking your friends in plain sight downtown. Thankfully Irma's dad was nearby and they didn't have to use their powers as he shot and killed Frost." Susan explained, "As much as I hate this expression, that was when the proverbial shit hit the fan. There was government agents swarming all over Heatherfield after examining his body and things sort of went from there."

"What are you talking about?" Will asked sitting up, pain obviously on her face but it seemed like she was used to it. "We fought Frost not more than a week ago before beating Phobos."

"Honey, you never defeated Phobos. You…You've been missing for almost two years." Susan said sadly reaching out toward Will who inched away in fright while whimpering in fear. "Will…Who did this to you, who hurt you?"

"Why are you doing this?" Will sobbed looking at Susan in hatred and fear, "You know who hurt me, you were there. You laughed when he hit me before dragging me to my room and…"

"Will, I'd never do that. You know you are the most important person in my life." Susan said near tears. How could Will even think she would hurt her baby girl?

"Yeah, just as important as all those guys you bring home and screw." Will grumbled before covering her mouth with both hands and looking at Susan in terror as all the color drained from her face.

"Will…The only man I ever dated was Dean…What are you talking about, I don't understand…Did Phobos play some kind of mind tricks on you?" Susan asked as she moved over to Will who was trying to escape but Susan gently but firmly pulled the girl into her lap.

"You're the one playing mind games." Will sobbed as Susan stroked her hair.

"Shh, baby, I'm not playing games with you." Susan cried as she gently rocked the redhead who was shaking but from the force of the sobs or in fright Susan couldn't tell.

"Susan." Dean gasped as he rushed into the room causing Will to start shaking even more. "Oh god, it's true, she's alive."

"Dean, I think maybe it would be a good idea if you go for now." Susan said giving the man a sad look, mouthing 'I'll explain later.'

With a nod Dean smiled sadly at the two trying to decide if he should say anything but decided against it when Susan shook her head obviously knowing what he was thanking. He quietly turned and walked out of the room giving the mother and daughter some much needed space.

"Will, honey, who hurt you? Who did you think I let hit you and…" Susan whispered softly, unable to say the last of it as she feared the answer though she knew better but in Will's mind it was real.

"Mister Collins." Will whimpered, calming down a little, "You know that, last night was the third damn time this week."

"God Will…I…I never did that…I couldn't do that to you." Susan cried clinging to Will. She couldn't believe it, Will believed that she could do something like that to her baby.

"You sure didn't have that problem last night." Will cried.

"If you two are ready you two can go home." The nurse from earlier said as she came in ignoring the crying women on the bed. "The doctor prescribed you some pain meds and antibiotics and wrote you an excuse from school for the rest of the week." The nurse put the small stack of papers on the foot of the bed, "Please don't take too long, we have other patients who need this room."

Susan glared up at the uncaring nurse causing her to squeak out and hurry from the room. The dark haired woman swore she'd come back later and have several words with her friend who was head of the E. R. about her staff.

"Come on sweetie, let's go home." Susan said getting out of the bed and picking up the papers on it before helping a still frightened redhead up. "We'll stop off at the pharmacy and get your prescriptions on the way home."

"What?" Will asked in shock looking up at the dark haired woman before her eyes grew from shock to hatred and disgust. "I can't believe I was starting to think maybe you really did give a damn!"

"Will, what's wrong?" Susan asked the redhead backing away.

"You want those damn pain pills for yourself again!" Will cried looking up at the woman, studying her eyes. "I don't understand it though, your eyes aren't bloodshot! They're always bloodshot! Your always drunk and high…This isn't happening, this is a dream…This isn't real."

Susan hurried over to the redhead who had sunk to her knees shaking, as tears streamed down her face. Susan knelt down next to the redhead who was hugging herself and pulled her into another embrace careful not to aggravate any of the injuries.

"Honey, I don't drink, I never drink anything but an occasional glass of wine of champagne. You know that." Susan whispered, stroking Will's hair. "I don't approve of drugs either…Will, this is real, not that hell Phobos put you through. I love you."

"Lets just get this over with." Will finally whimpered as she pulled away from Susan and climbed to her feet and started walking from the room as if she was walking to her own execution.

NOTES

Here's chappie two as promised and I'm almost done with chappie three. Thankies for your reviews, please let me know how you feel about this story as your reviews are the lifeblood of any story. Thankies.


	3. Chapter 3

Will watched out of the window as she waited in the car while her mother went into the drug store to get the prescriptions the doctor had written. Susan had wanted Will to come in as well but didn't push it when she asked to wait out in the car. The woman was acting very strangely which was scaring Will more than usual of the woman because usually when Susan showed any kindness it was preceding a very nasty beating and she was too sore for that.

As tempting as it was to try and run away though she knew better than to pull that stunt again. The last time she tried running away Susan had viciously broken her leg daring her to try it again. It wasn't until the next day either when she was finally taken to the hospital which Susan only did to get the pain medications for herself leaving Will to suffer through the pain.

It was Luba who had comforted her that night as the cat like woman often did through her dreams. It was Luba who had given Will the strength to go on the last few months but right now she was worried about the woman. Was she okay? Did the Oracle punish her for helping Will and giving the redhead back the Heart? And finally was he going to be coming after Will next?

A slight rapping on the window startled her into sitting up and looking out to see a smiling Tom Lair. That was weird itself as the man never smiled, he always had a scowl on his slightly chubby face. It almost looked alien on him but his eyes also held the smile so it wasn't like he was faking it. Still, this was a strange sight as she wasn't even sure the man KNEW how to smile.

"Will! It is you!" Tom said happily as Will stared in shock. No demanding to know what she was doing or what kind of crap she was trying to pull now. He seemed happy to see her instead of the usual annoyance he had when he saw her. "God, we were so worried about you."

"As if you care." Will sighed as she tore her gaze from him unable to look at those happy eyes anymore. This wasn't right, the man should be berating her by now but even he was acting like she was missing like Susan had claimed. Why was these people acting so nice and why did some places seem so different. She never remembered this drug store before and her bedroom, why and when did Susan change it so much and give her so many new outfits and stuffed frogs.

"Of course I care, Will. You mean a lot to us." Tom said softly as he fidgeted uncomfortably outside the car catching Will's attention. The man never fidgeted, he was always confident and hateful, not nice and nervous. Just what the hell was going on?

"As what, a punching bag?" Will asked looking up into the man's eyes to gauge his reaction. She knew he would smack her for what she was going to say and tell her she was a lying piece of crap but at least it would prove to her that this was all just some kind of sick act. "Your daughter wants to hold me again so Cornelia can kick the hell out of me?"

"Wh-what?" Tom gasped in shock. His eyes held surprise, maybe some disbelief but no hatred or anger.

"Yeah, that's right. It was my fault for Phobos capturing Elyon so the girls held me down while Cornelia beat the hell out of me." Will said a little more firmly, silently daring him to hit her. To prove that he thought she was worthless like he told her so many times. Then she realized he didn't know anything about Phobos or what really happened to Elyon…Unless Susan was telling the truth.

"Will, that wasn't your fault." Tom said sadly shaking his head, "Cornelia…She never forgave herself for what she said to you. She…I swear if they hurt you like that though…I don't want to believe Irma did something like that though…Will, are you sure it was them? Not some of Phobos's goons?"

"I…I'm beginning to wonder that myself." Will sniffed as tears started falling. He knew about Phobos too and just collaborated everything that Susan had been saying but how could that be. Was everything she experienced some kind of sick illusions? They couldn't be, her pain, her memories went back too far that it didn't make sense.

"Will, where were you?" Tom asked gently.

"I've been at home…You should know that, I just seen you the other day…" Will sighed, "I went to Candracar as the other girls gave up their powers because we weren't needed any more then Luba…"

"_Go Will, make a better life for yourself and be happy." Luba said as tears was falling down her face. "I'm so sorry this is all I could do for you."_

What the hell did Luba do, was she somehow behind what was happening.

"Will, the girls have never been to Candracar. Without the Heart there hasn't been a way to go. Yan Lin tried to but she said the Heart must have been destroyed." Tom said sadly.

Will held up her hand, palm down and it started to glow as the Heart of Candracar slowly emerged from her palm, closing her hand catching the chain before it fell. "As you can see, the Heart is not destroyed…I suppose you want it?"

"No but if it's one piece then…I don't understand…" Tom said shaking his head in confusion.

"You and me both." Will sighed clutching the Heart to her chest while thinking of the one person she felt she could trust.

"Hi Tom." Susan said as she came out of the front of the store and saw Tom talking to Will.

"Hey Susan, I'm glad Will is back." Tom said smiling to the woman as Will studied the two skeptically. They both seemed honest though there was worry in their eyes and a hint of sadness.

"Me to, I was so worried about her." Susan said as Tom directed her away from the car. "I'll be back in a moment honey."

Will found herself wishing she could hear what the two was saying as she felt a breeze gently caress her. She concentrated as she could have sword she heard their voices being carried by the…wind. The aurameres, did she have all of the guardians' powers?

"I'm worried sick, Tom." Susan said, her voice catching as if she was trying not to cry. "What if that bastard tries to come after Will again. Phobos had to be the one who had her and…Oh god, Tom, she thinks I beat her and let Dean rape her!"

"That's not all, Susan. Will's convinced that they beat Phobos and the girls beat her over Elyon's disappearance. While I don't want to believe that their might be a little truth to it." Tom sighed.

"What do you mean?" Susan gasped.

"Susan, I doubt they held her and let Cornelia beat her but…I can see Cornelia hitting her or even trying to attack her if she was mad enough and…Elyon was Cornelia's best friend. I don't condone what she did if it's true but I can understand it." Tom sighed.

"You blame my daughter for that?" Susan asked with anger.

"You know better than that, Susan. I know it isn't Will's fault but I can see where Cornelia would be coming from. While I can understand it there's not a chance in hell I'd condone it and I'll be sure to have a long talk with the girls about it." Tom said waving his hands. She wasn't sure why but she could feel that they were telling the truth but that just didn't make any sense.

"Are you ready to head home honey?" Susan asked from next to Will as she closed the door behind her startling the redhead. Will never even noticed the woman getting in the car but she reabsorbed the Heart into herself to keep it safe.

"I guess." Will said keeping an eye on the woman from the corner of her mind while she thought about what happened. The two were acting as if they were complete opposites of the people she knew but it was ridiculous. This whole situation was ridiculous.

"Honey…Do you want to talk about it?" Susan asked as she reached over and squeezed Will's knee lovingly while smiling sadly at the redhead.

"About what, about you beating the hell out of me and letting your damned boyfriend make my life even more hellish?" Will asked fighting back the tears, "Or how about the fact that if that didn't happen that I'm obviously going insane?"

"Honey, you aren't going insane and I would never do that stuff to you." Susan whispered sadly rubbing Will's knee. "Will…I love you, you mean the world to me and these two years without you…God, they were the hardest years in my life."

Will couldn't deny the honesty in those words as she watched the tears first slowly build in her mother's eyes before slowly escaping despite the struggle to not let it happen. As much as she hated doing this and how much it scared her she scooted down on the bench seat and hugged the woman who froze for a moment before gingerly wrapping her arms around Will while openly crying now as Will couldn't help doing the same.

She didn't trust this woman but it was too weird seeing her break down like this and seeing it tugged at her own heart. She dreamed of this moment for so long, to be held in these arms and comforted, told that she was loved. Even after the pain and hell her mother caused there was always a part deep in her heart that still loved her mother and always would.

"Honey, let's go home and get cleaned up and I'll take us out for a nice lunch. Anywhere you want." Susan said smiling softly as she pulled back from Will after both of them calmed down. Will searched the woman's eyes for any signs of deceit.

"You never took me out to eat since…Before dad left us…" Will said in surprise though she refused to get her hopes up despite her stomach growling a little to her embarrassment and her mouth watering a little. She doesn't even get the chance to eat with Susan and Dean much, only allowed to eat the leftovers most of the time.

"Oh sweetie, we used to go out every Sunday." Susan sighed caressing her daughter's cheek. It was one of the few undamaged parts on the younger girl's body which filled her with rage. She couldn't show it though as she was afraid she'd scare Will if she showed it.

"You won't even let me eat with you…I lucky to even get any leftovers." Will sniffed while shaking her head.

"Honey…Let's get going." Susan sighed, she figured the best way to get Will to see that she would never do that was to show her not tell her. She started the car and drove towards home while keeping an eye on the girl next to her stealing glances every few moments. She was looking at several places in confusion as if she never seen them before.

"Mom…When did that drug store move in there?" Will asked timidly.

"It's always been there." Susan said, "It's where I get always get our stuff from, it's the only place that takes my insurance."

"Insurance?" Will asked in complete surprise, "You don't even have a job!"

"Honey, I've been with Simultech for years, I'm head of my own department." Susan said, "I even based that one game's main character on you and you loved it."

Will just stared at the woman in shock, her mother was living off disability for hurting her back at her last job as a laborer for a construction company. It was supposed to be light duty but they ended up telling her to do what they wanted or find another job. As soon as Susan was able to move again she took it out on Will blaming her and breaking her arm from how bad the beating was. She had taken a rolling pin and beat her until she was unconscious and she had a feeling still didn't quit until long after by the way she hurt when she woke up in a hospital. It was one of the few times children services did get involved but they backed off from pressure from Tom. Will always wondered about that and always suspected of Susan having an affair with the man.

What the hell was going on?

NOTES

As promised, here's chappie 3. Hope everyone likes it. Please read and review, thankies.


	4. Chapter 4

Will was standing in front of her closet hesitating as she looked at the closet that was bursting with clothes. Currently she was wearing just her panties and bra which she didn't want to really wear at the moment as it only aggravated her injuries but decided it would be best for now. All she needed was Susan to call her a whore or slut and punish her for it.

She was scared to touch the clothes though as a part of her kept telling her this was some kind of trick. As soon as she touched a single piece of clothing, which all seemed pretty new except for a few outfits but they were still in better condition than anything Will had owned in a long time. However if she kept taking to long it might make Susan angry and cause her to change her mind about the promised meal if that wasn't some kind of trick.

"Will, honey, are you ready?" Susan asked walking into the room making Will blush when the woman looked her up and down with a frown on her face. It wasn't an angry frown, it was a sad one as if she was silently apologizing for the damage visibly obvious in her state of undress. Will could see the tears start to well up but with a swallow the older woman smiled softly. "What's wrong, Will?"

"I'm sorry I'm not ready." Will said, her voice cracking a little as she couldn't fight the fear that the woman was going to descend on her in a brutal fury any second for delaying them.

"It's okay honey, would you like some help?" Susan asked and Will could only nod a little as she was afraid saying anything might earn her Susan's anger. "How about…This…and this." Susan said going to the closet and looking through the various tops before pulling out a simple redish orange t-shirt and dug a pair of Jeans out. They both looked a little older than the others but they were in great shape still. "These were always some of your favorites."

If they did belong to Will she would have loved them she thought as she pulled them on, wincing slightly at the pain as the jeans rubbed across sensitive areas from her bruises and cuts.

"I'm so sorry, Will." Susan said going back to the closet and digging out a skirt, "Maybe this would be better."

"It's okay." Will said smiling a little, they were really comfortable when she got them all the way on. They weren't bothering her that much now though as she moved a little she could still feel a little pain but she was used to much worse on a normal basis.

"Are you sure, honey?" Susan asked apologetically, "I should have thought."

"It's okay, really." Will said smiling a little as the woman did seem sorry for the pain Will was feeling. Then there was the 'Honey' bit that Susan kept calling her. 'Idiot,' 'Worthless,' and 'Whore' was stuff her mother called her not 'Honey.'

"Are you sure?" Susan asked as Will pulled the shirt on, gasping a little as she pulled it on. The movement caused a momentary sharp pain but it was quickly over as she straightened the shirt and looked up at the teary eyes of her so called mother. The strange part was that she was kind of hoping this was, she seemed so different than what she knew but she quickly squashed that idea. She wouldn't allow herself to trust her, not like she did all those other times when Susan pretended to be a little nice before laying into her.

She still had bad dreams about when she learned that it was a bad idea to trust the woman. She said that they were going to have a fun night and it ended up being the worse night of Will's life as Dean had taken one of the only things she never thought she'd lose that way, something she'd never thought her mother would have a part in taking from her. Dean had beaten her and raped her while her own mother told her she deserved it.

No, she couldn't afford to trust this woman no matter how much a part of her wanted to. The consequences were too high of letting herself actually trust anyone, whenever she did it always turned and bit her on the ass hard. The only two people she could trust in was Luba and of course herself.

"Here honey, sit down." Susan said helping Will sit down on the edge of the bed as she knelt down and put a pair of socks gently on each of Will's feet while the redhead watched in shock.

"Wh-What are you doing?" Will asked with surprise.

"I seen you when you put on your clothes, I know you are having trouble moving too good." Susan explained as she slid a shoe on Will's right foot. It wasn't even the pair that was falling apart it was almost a new pair of white Nike shoes with pink highlights. It wasn't like she was dressed up to go anywhere fancy but these clothes were the best she had worn in so long and it was a little hard to believe.

In fact it was a little hard to believe Susan helped her instead of standing back laughing as she watched Will suffer. What came next completely shocked Will when Susan climbed into bed behind Will causing her to shake a little. As much as Susan let Dean hurt her Susan had never touched her in that WAY but now she was going to. Will started to shake a little when she felt something going through her hair. After another moment she felt it again and the lack of anything inappropriate. The third time it happened she realized what it was, Susan was brushing her hair!

"I can do that." Will said in disbelief.

"I know you can honey but it's been two years, please let me enjoy this. Just having you here and doing stuff for you." Susan said with pain obvious in her voice. Will couldn't help but relax a little at the rhythmic caress of the brush going through her hair felt so good except for the occasional tangle.

"Mom…Why are you being so nice?" Will asked softly afraid of the answer.

"Because I love you." Susan said abandoning the brush and wrapping her arms around Will from behind and kissing the back of the girl's head. "I will always love you and never hurt you."

"Will relaxed into the arms of the woman as her mind screamed at her that it was a trick as she slowly started to cry. She wasn't sure why she was crying either, she couldn't pinpoint it because she couldn't remember feeling this was before. All she knew was that she felt safe while at the same time she was scared half to death that it was going to come crashing down when Dean came crashing through the door.

He never did though and it didn't stop in that way as Susan kept stroking her hair gently. Sadly it did stop as she realized how stupid she was being believing a woman who had got off on causing her extreme pain actually cared. Pulling away she climbed to her feet and wiped her eyes before looking back with a false smile which Susan seemed to see through as the older woman's own expression grew sad.

"We better get going." Will said softly while praying she wouldn't get hit for speaking up like this.

"It is getting late honey, where do you want to eat?" Susan asked, "The Silver Dragon?"

"I don't want to see them." Will said stiffly, "How about Dairy Queen?"

"I'm sorry honey, they went out not long after you disappeared." Susan said sadly causing Will to sigh as she realized this was all a joke. Susan never intended to give her a choice or probably even take her out. "There is one about forty minutes away if you want honey."

"Then how about Denny's?" Will asked watching the older woman's eyes waiting for another refusal.

"Denny's it is." Susan said smiling as she pulled a jacket from the closet and helped Will into it which surprised the girl even more. She couldn't believe that Susan even cared about her getting cold as it was raining now as she could see from the window.

Will quietly followed Susan from the apartment and as the woman was locking up the door the one straight across from them started opening. She hated the old man that lived there as he was always leering at her and she had enough of that crap from Dean. Instead of an old man though and older woman wearing a pale green blouse and black stretch pants. She was slightly over weight and had curlers in her graying hair and a kind look on her face.

"Oh goodness, your home." The older woman said as tears started forming in her eyes making Will a little uncomfortable as the woman pulled Will into a hug causing her to almost cry out from the pain the embrace caused. "We've all been worried sick."

"Carol, she needs air." Susan said with a little mirth in her voice causing the old woman to push Will back and studying the girl. "You look starved, haven't you been eating dear?"

"N-Not really." Will said hugging herself as she was careful of her injuries and rubbed her arms self consciously.

"It's a long story Carol, we can talk about it later." Susan said, "For now we're going out to eat."

"Good, put some meat on Will's bones, she needs it." Carol said smiling as Susan nodded and said goodbye before leading Will down the hall.

"Mom, who was that?" Will asked softly, confused by the way the woman acted like she knew her.

"That was Carol honey, remember you used to help her when she fell down and hurt her hip." Susan explained, a little confusion on her face. "I was so proud how you sacrificed so much free time just to help her and not even ask her for anything in return."

"What about Mister Leary?" Will asked in confusion, she never helped anyone like that. The one time she suggested trying to volunteer Susan accused her of whoring herself and punished her for it.

"Who?" Susan asked stopping at the elevator, pushing the call button.

"He lives there, not her." Will said shaking her head.

"Will…Carol had lived by herself since we moved here. Her husband died ten years ago and their last name was Wilson not Leary." Susan said as the door chimed as it slid open allowing the two to step on, both in deep confusion.

"That's impossible, that freak always leered at me every chance he got." Will whispered in shock. She was sure that Susan was telling the truth but it was too weird, how could that have happened? How could that freak get replaced by someone like that older woman?

The two stayed silent until they got to the car and was out on the street driving somewhere but Will wasn't sure where. She wasn't even too sure what to think, this was turning into a bad episode of the twilight zone. In truth it was beginning to scare her a little until they passed where the Dairy Queen was but instead of it stood what looked like a miniature military base. There was a six foot stone wall surrounding what looked like a block with barbed wire running along the top with a gate with two soldiers with large rifles standing guard.

"What the hell is that?" Will gasped.

"That's where one of the portals are honey, they are all under heavy guard keeping Phobos from pulling any more crap." Susan explained looking sadly over to Will who was frozen in shock as two meridian girls around Will's age with yellowish skin and pointed ears and long dark hair walked chatting lively with a human girl who also had long dark hair. One of the schools was close by which Susan figured they were at lunch and was sure that seeing them here was a great shock to Will as she apparently didn't know anything of what had been happening since her disappearance.

NOTES

Okay, last chappie for today, LOL. I hope you all are enjoying this story and continue to do so, thankies.

Philip Gipson: Thankies, and I was going to wait until I finished some more for Enter Night before posting it here but I might go ahead and do it to see what everyone here thinks about it. I plan to have some of Hate or Fear done soon and I hope you enjoyed this update.


	5. Chapter 5

Will sighed as she looked over the menu as she sat in front of Susan who already decided what she wanted and was currently watching Will with a slight smile while folding her hands over her own menu. Will couldn't help being nervous as this was something that hasn't happened for so long and she scared of screwing it up. If she ordered something that Susan didn't approve of would the woman even let her get it or even anything? If she didn't order something though she knew the woman was going to get pissed as there was only a small amount of patience the woman had.

"C-Can I order a Grand Slam with a biscuit and orange juice?" Will asked wanting so much to try it as it had been what seemed like forever since she had a hot breakfast even more rare for her to have a breakfast at all.

"Of course honey." Susan smiled waving the waitress over who was another Meridianite who had light blue skin and long golden hair.

"Have you decided what you two would like?" The woman asked with a pleasant smile while taking out a pad of paper and a pen.

"My daughter wants the Grand Slam with biscuit and OJ and I'll take a Chef Salad with a Diet Coke." Susan said taking the menus and returning them to the holder at the middle of the table.

"I'll have it out in just a few minutes." The woman said, bowing a little before leaving.

"Are you okay Will?" Susan asked gently startling Will out of her fears of all this being fake.

"I…I'm scared this is all some kind of dream." Will admitted, chewing on her lower lip nervously waiting for the woman's response to her confession.

"I've been praying for the same thing all day, honey." Susan said taking Will's hand and rubbing the back with her thumb while smiling at the redhead. "God I've missed you so much, Will. I've never given up hope though, I knew you were out there somewhere."

"Mom…You…You saw me last night. You called me a stupid idiot and watched as Dean hit me and…You were there…" Will said refusing to cry in front of the semi crowded restaurant even if their table was off by itself against the wall.

"Will, I swear this morning when I came into your room like I did everyday since you disappeared hoping to find you in bed was the first time I've seen you since you vanished." Susan said locking eyes with the redhead. "Will, I love you with all my heart and would never do that to you."

"Here's your drinks." The waitress said bringing a tray out with their drinks and set each one down before the Vandom women and giving them a straw a piece. "If you need anything else just wave me over."

"Thanks." Susan said smiling at the woman before she left before looking back at Will whose hand she still held.

"I…I want to believe that…God you have no idea how much I do." Will sighed shaking her head. "Mom…I…Despite everything you did to me I never completely stopped loving you. I hated you for what…What you did to me but you're my mother and I hoped…God I prayed every night that you would tell me how sorry you are…That you loved me and that I could say I love you to and…And everything would be okay. I…I do love you but I don't know if everything can be okay…I don't know if I can trust you…Not after everything you've done to me."

By the end of this Will had her face buried in her free hand crying openly as Susan pulled her chair over next to Will and pulled her into a soft hug. She hated not being able to give Will a real hug but she was too scared of causing any more damage to the girl's already battered body.

"Honey, I swear if I ever get my hands on Phobos for hurting you like this…God I'll kill him." Susan sniffed stroking Will's hair as the waitress came over to check on them.

"Is everything okay?" The waitress asked, obviously hearing the name of the Prince hated among both those originally from Meridian and those from Earth.

"We're fine, thank you." Susan lied sending the waitress away with a sad smile.

"Phobos didn't do it, YOU did." Will sniffed, "Why do you keep blaming him for this? You…You made my life more of a hell than he ever did."

"Will." Susan gasped choking back a sob at the accusation. "I never saw you since you disappeared, it's been two years…I could never hurt you."

"Tell that to my bruises." Will sniffed pulling away as the waitress shyly brought their food to them and gave them their plates each and smiling sadly at them.

"If it helps any…Phobos has been known for his deceit by hurting people and making it look like others did it." The waitress said softly, "He killed my parents, most of my family only leaving my little sister and me. He's even hurt his own family by killing his parents and almost killed his sister as well."

"I know all that, I fought the bastard and beat him!" Will snapped causing the girl to smile sadly at Will before leaving them to their meal.

"Honey…Only a few people know about you girls being the guardians." Susan said gently.

"It doesn't mater!" Will snapped, "We beat him, he's gone and Elyon is in Meridian on the throne! This…This is all some kind of a lie! Beat me if you want, I don't care anymore."

"Will, I won't beat you, I love you and nothing will change that." Susan said kissing the top of Will's head not moving her chair staying next to the redhead as she pulled her salad to her. "I…I don't know how to prove that to you but I'm not leaving you and I'm not going to hurt you."

"I wish I could believe you." Will sighed as she pulled her own food to her and started eating it. She started slowly but as she realized it was okay and nothing was going to happen to her she inhaled it before something did happen. As she was finishing it she heard Susan giggle slightly drawing Will's attention. The woman had hardly touched her own food and was wiping the tears from her eyes but she was smiling a little.

"Honey, did you even taste that?" Susan asked a little teasingly in hopes to get Will to open up a little more and maybe act a little more playful like she used to.

"I'm hungry, so sue me." Will quipped turning a little red.

"Still?" Susan asked as Will nodded slightly though she was too scared to say it. Susan waved the waitress over and smiled at her. "My daughter would like to order something else."

"Of course." The waitress said smiling at the two.

"What do you want honey?" Susan asked gently pulling one of the menus back out of the holder and giving it to Will.

"Are you serious?" Will asked hopefully, she really wanted to try a Chicken Ranch Melt with an order of onion rings but was too afraid to ask for too much.

"Of course honey, I want you to order anything you want. I don't want you leaving here hungry." Susan said smiling.

"Okay," Will said smiling a little deciding maybe she would test this a little. "Can I please get a Chicken Ranch Melt and a side of onion rings with a cherry coke and also a banana split."

"How about I bring your food out first sweetie then your ice cream when you finish so it doesn't melt." The waitress asked causing Will to look up at Susan.

"That sounds good, will you bring me a banana split to when you bring hers?" Susan asked with a soft smile.

"Of course Ma'am," The waitress said with a smile, "Your sandwich will be out in a few minutes sweetie."

"You're really letting me get all that?" Will asked in disbelief as she looked up at the woman.

"Of course honey, like I said I don't want you leaving here hungry." Susan said with a soft smile.

"Th-Thanks mom." Will said unsure of what else to say . The two sat in silence for a few minutes, each lost in thought before the waitress returned with Will's second order which was devoured at about half the speed.

"Still hungry, dear?" Susan asked as she finished her own salad.

"Not really." Will sighed.

"Not even for a banana split.?" Susan asked smiling as the Waitress sat their desserts down before the two.

"Well, maybe for it." Will said as she had to check and make sure she wasn't drooling. She hadn't had ice cream since she was a little girl and before her sat one of the most beautiful examples of the frozen treat that she had ever seen. Almost reverently she raised her spoon and tasted a bite of the ice cream with the caramel sauce on it and nuts and almost died of delight. God, if the caramel was that good the hot fudge and strawberry toppings was beyond heavenly.

"You look like your really enjoying that." Susan said with a bright smile watching Will finish the ice cream dessert.

"God, I haven't had ice cream in years." Will said giddily. Susan smiled and pushed her untouched dessert over to her daughter.

"Then we can't let this one go to waste, I don't think I can eat it honey." Susan said as Will eyed it hungrily but the fear in her eyes was more than easy to understand what was going through her mind. "Honey, no one is going to hurt you. Please, I don't want it to waste will you please finish it for me?"

"If your s-sure." Will said gulping a little as slowly reached out for the frozen treat.

"I'm sure honey, I'm enjoying watching you enjoy yourself." Susan said propping her chin up on a hand as she watched Will start on the dessert at a much slower speed than the previous one.

Will couldn't help thinking about what Susan said as she slowly ate the dessert, enjoying it. ENJOYING it, she really was sitting here enjoying a real meal with her mother and enjoying it. The woman wasn't treating her bad or anything and Will had actually dropped her guard and started enjoying herself.

"Mom…Thank you." Will said as she finished the treat and looked up at a slightly giggling Susan who took a napkin and wiped off the red head's mouth.

"You had chocolate on your mouth, honey." Susan said being gentle with the girl as she smiled brightly, "And your very welcome. I missed these mother daughter outings so much."

"Me to." Will admitted easily as she had. She couldn't remember a whole lot but she remembered her mother taking her to the zoo with her father and having a good time, She remembered him giving her a piggyback ride while her mother had bought her an ice cream cone which he ended up wearing. There was no beating or harsh words, just laughter and smiles and a new ice cream. She missed that, times like those as they weren't many in her memories as most of them was filled with fear and pain f her mother's screaming face. The face that the woman next to her just didn't have and Will was beginning to wonder if she could even make a scowl much less a hateful glare.

"Mom…Does the girls hate me?" Will asked timidly afraid of the answer.

"They missed you just as much as I have honey. They love you very much and Cornelia has never forgiven herself for that argument you all had when Phobos grabbed Elyon. She was almost killed when she went alone to Meridian to get you both back" Susan said brushing Will's fiery mane from her face.

"Can we...I don't know what the hell I'm thinking!" Will said shaking her head angry with herself for wanting to go see them.

"I think it would be a good idea honey but I'm not going to force you." Susan said gently.

"I don't think I can." Will sighed, "Can we just please go home?"

"If that's what you want honey." Susan said pulling a credit card from her purse. Will clearly saw Susan's name on it too which added to the list of differences as her mother never had any credit cards as her credit was too bad. Will was beginning to seriously think about her earlier comment to herself about being in the twilight zone.

NOTES

Wow, another chappie done and I'm so happy all of you are enjoying this story. There's lots more to come and I hope everyone loves it. Please don't forget to review please.

Philip Gipson: Thankies, I do love writing and my specialty is dark, angsty drama stories that I'm so happy everyone seems to enjoy so far. Yep, I moved it since it is now a full blown story and will be getting updates regularly as well As Never a Normal Life and soon Hate or Fear will be joining them. I'm not too sure if I will as I have tried writing some other stories with other people but they never seem to turn out. I love WITCH but if I do come up with a good idea I might write it for another series.


	6. Chapter 6

"I thought we were heading home." Will said nervously as they pulled into an unfamiliar shopping plaza parking right by a liquor store. She knew it was too good to be true, Susan was going to get drunk and beat the hell out of her for spending so much money at lunch.

"I thought we could stop off and get a couple movies and some popcorn and spend the afternoon watching them." Susan said smiling, "Just me and you, spend some quality time together."

"Movies?" Will asked looking up and actually seeing a Blockbuster next to the liquor store which didn't make sense as Susan only had a membership at that small video store with the adult section where she got that trash the woman watched with Dean before he ended up coming to her room. Is that what Susan was after here? If so, when did Susan even get a membership there?

"You know, DVDs." Susan said looking at Will in confusion as the redhead hugged herself tightly causing her to quickly loosen her arms as it caused a surge of pain through her chest.

"Like…That crap you and Dean watch?" Will asked, her eyes watering. She didn't want to spend a second night in a row being forced to do whatever Dean wanted. True, he never needed a movie to do it before but every time they had one he ended up finding his way to her room. She had started locking her door but Susan had beaten her for that and took the lock off as well as the entire knob.

"Don't worry, honey, we won't be getting Die Hard or the Matrix." Susan laughed softly, "How about this, we each pick a movie and watch them together and have a slumber party in the living room."

"S-Sure." Will said quietly causing Susan to raise an eyebrow at the strange tone Will had in her voice as well as the slight blush covering her face or the tears in her eyes. Susan was getting sick of seeing those tears, it hurt her so much every time knowing that it was due to inability to have protected her daughter.

She could have beaten herself up all day over it but when she noticed Will looking through the windshield with a strange look. Sighing Susan took the keys from the ignition and grabbed her purse joining Will outside as the walked to the video store. She noticed Will tremble a little as the passed by the liquor store which was a place Susan always hated. It was wrong having a place like that where kids hung out a lot like the Blockbuster that Will had insisted they got a membership to almost right after they came to Heatherfield.

Opening up the door she let Will into the unusually uncrowded store as it was normally hard to move in the place which was why she hated it but suffered it for Will. For some odd reason Will always loved the crowds there as she would chat with the different girls there her age that was looking for a good movie. Will looked like she was completely lost though which was strange as the redhead almost always headed to the new releases, comedy or family section.

"What's wrong, honey?" Susan asked as she joined her daughter in the store noticing Will scanning the walls looking for something.

"There's no adult section." Will said quietly so only Susan heard which almost made her choke.

"Wh-Why the heck would you want that crap?" Susan whispered as she turned beat red.

"I…I don't." Will whispered, "You do."

"Wh-Wh-What?" Susan sputtered shaking her head in disbelief, "I can't stand that stuff, it's disgusting."

"You and Dean usually watches it before…" Will sighs but can't finish the statement.

"Will, come with me." Susan says taking Will's hand and leads her to the action section. Will was trembling a little as Susan scanned the rack of movies before picking one and taking the case off the shelf and handing it to Will. "This is the movie we watch more often than not honey, we never watch that crap and if he knows if he ever suggested it I'd brain him."

Will stared wide eyed at the box in her hands, there were no nearly naked girls in provocative poses. No sick sounding innuendos sounding like a real movie but twisting the wording to something perverted. There was none of that, there was a man in a leather trench coat and black sunglasses with green numbers in the background with the title 'Matrix' along the top. Was this really what Dean and Susan watched when alone.

"You two watch this alone?" Will asked swallowing nervously.

"Of course honey, we both know how much you hate it but it's one of Dean's favorite movies." Susan said, "Will, I swear to god that we never watched anything…That disgusting stuff and we would never hurt you. Do you know as much as I cried when you disappeared I think Dean even cried more than me. He loves you so much and would never do anything to hurt you."

"I…I'm sorry." Will whispered as she stared at the box until Susan pulled her into a loving embrace being careful still of her injuries.

"Don't be sorry, honey." Susan whispered into Will's ear, "I know you've been through hell but that wasn't us doing it to you. We won't ever let it happen again either, I promise you."

"Thanks mom." Will said as Susan pulled away, wiping her eyes. She could feel the honesty in the woman's words even if they contradicted everything Will remembered.

"Ready to get some movies?" Susan asked.

"Sure…Mom, can e get this one to?" Will asked shyly as she was still a little afraid about asking.

"I thought you hated it." Susan said with confusion. It was the first movie in the trilogy and was out before Will disappeared and the redhead watched it with Dean and her and complained about it being the worst movie ever made making Dean laugh.

"I've never seen it." Will said shaking her head, "It looks kind of cool though."

"Sure, why don't you pick another one too?" Susan said smiling as she took the case and put it back on the shelf taking the one with the movie from behind where the case went. She knew Will didn't like the movie but after everything the redhead went through she didn't want to get into an argument over it which she was afraid of happening. Will wanted it and right now, as long as her baby was home, she would make sure the redhead got everything she wanted.

"Are you sure?" Will asked as she looked up in surprise and a little hope.

"Sure honey." Susan said shooing Will towards the new releases which she was sure the girl wanted to go.

"Can we get Princess Diaries two, I've been wanting to see it forever since I saw a few minutes at Hay Lin's." Will asked.

"Sure, I think I'll take the first one to." Susan said, "And on the way home we can stop and buy some rocky road."

"Rocky road?" Will asked, blinking in confusion.

"Your favorite flavor of ice cream." Susan said in shock, that was one thing she never thought her daughter would be able to forget. She had to control herself as she felt her anger begin to rise again thinking about how much that bastard took from her daughter and all the pain he caused.

"Would you ladies like some help?" A young man with short brown hair and stubble on his chin, wearing a blockbuster uniform asked walking up to them.

"Just picking up some movies." Susan said, "Actually, do you have both Princess Diaries movies in?"

"Actually, we do but we also have both of them on sale for ten bucks." The guy said.

"I think we'll buy them so Will can have them." Susan said as she led Will up to the counter where the man pulled a couple movies from behind the counter and scanning them. She noticed Will's eyes grow in surprise as they were new.

"That will be twenty seven dollars and fifty eight cents." The guy said.

"I want a few buckets of the popcorn too." Susan said smiling as the guy put a couple carnival looking themed empty buckets on the counter.

"Where's the popcorn?" Will whispered as the guy took Susan's credit card and went to the other register to slide it as it looked like the only one with a credit card machine.

"It's in the bottom of the buckets honey," Susan said looking in shock at the redhead as the girl looked inside the bucket curiously. "Honey, you used to eat them all the time."

"I've never even seen one." Will said sadly, "You never bought me anything like this."

"Honey…We used to do this almost every week." Susan sighed shaking her head sadly as Will seemed to have either forgotten or had her memories stolen from her of so much. And to make it worse they filled her memories with so much pain and lies she didn't know if her baby would ever trust her again.

After signing the receipt Susan couldn't help smiling as Will took the DVDs gingerly and held them like they were the most precious things in the world as Susan collected the buckets of microwave popcorn and led the way back out to the car.

"Are we really getting more ice cream?" Will asked almost too softly for Susan to hear.

"Of course honey, there's a small convenience store that makes their own on the way home. It was your favorite." Susan said studying Will's reaction which was a sad sigh which caused one of Susan's own. The redhead didn't remember it, Susan knew it, and worse probably though she never bought her daughter any of it.

It didn't take them long to pull into the parking lot of the store where Will was torn from going in and staying to protect the new DVDs and the one they rented. It was cute in a way and would have been kind of funny if not for the reasons behind the actions.

"Come on honey, we'll lock the doors and they'll be okay. It won't take long to grab what we need." Susan said with a loving smile earning a slow nod from Will who gently laid the movies on the seat between them with the popcorn and got out with Susan, double then triple checking the doors.

It was actually a little busier than usual inside the store which worried Susan after seeing the way Will's eyes darted back and forth and was about to offer to let the girl go wait in the car then decided against it. It might look like she didn't want Will with her and she didn't want to do that. And besides that she didn't want to really let Will out of her site for a moment. It was actually getting late in the afternoon and school was out and Susan wanted to be home before Irma decided to tell the other girls after Tom told her the news.

Susan started to head over to the counter where they served cones to order a couple half gallons when she noticed Will stiffen in fear and move closer to Susan . A part of her was ecstatic that the girl was seeking safety near Susan while another part was upset that something was bothering her baby girl.

"WILL!" A hyperactive crying girl shrieked flinging herself at Will knocking both girls to the ground. Hay Lin sat up on her knees in shock as Will scooted quickly away from the Asian girl crying loudly.

"Don't hurt me, I'm sorry…Please don't hurt me!" Will was crying, begging over and over again for Hay Lin not to hurt her.

"Will, what's wrong?" Hay Lin asked tears streaming down her face as she reached out to the redhead who shrunk back from the contact in fear.

Susan knelt down to the redhead and pulled her protectively into an embrace half expecting to be fought but instead the redhead dove into her arms sobbing.

"Hay Lin…Will just came back this morning and she's been through a lot." Susan sighed stroking the redhead's hair while ignoring the sad looks she was getting from everyone in the store.. "Phobos did something to her and she thinks everyone hurt her. She…I'm surprised she's even letting me hold her like this."

"Oh god…We should have tried harder." Hay Lin cried shaking her head no and covering her mouth in horror.

"Hay Lin, listen to me!" Susan said sternly scaring Will a little but she needed to get through to the Asian who she knew loved her daughter like a sister. She didn't give a damn either who heard the next part as they probably wouldn't understand anyways. "This isn't anyone's fault but Phobos. With your powers weakened like they are you would have fallen into the same trap."

"You don't have any powers!" Will said holding onto her mother's jacket, her face buried in the woman's shoulder while she shook. "Luba took them, we defeated Phobos and she took all the aurameres and put them into the Heart."

"Will, who is Luba?" Hay Lin asked causing Will to stiffen.

:Hay Lin, sweetie, I think you should go for now." Susan said gently, "Will will be okay now, she's home but she needs space."

"Will…If you need anything I'll be there for you, all of us will." Hay Lin said softly, rubbing at the tears in her own eyes before getting up and hurrying from the store. Susan knew the girl was devastated but so was Will and Susan both, Will was in so much pain right now and that was tearing Susan's heart out.

"Honey, she's gone now and no one is going to hurt you." Susan whispered into the shaking girl's hair as the redhead kept repeating that she was sorry. It took almost ten minutes to get the girl calmed down and to look around her to see that Hay Lin was gone but what was surprising Susan was how much Will was scared of the woman hurting her but still seeked protection. Hopefully it was proof that Will was starting to come around if even just a little.

Finally Will pulled away and let Susan help her to her feet while the redhead avoided all the sympathetic looks her way. Susan squeezed the girl's hand but Will seemed to be lost in her own world.

"Come on honey, let's get you home," Susan said softly.

"No ice cream, huh?" Susan heard Will mutter under her breath sadly as she trembled a little but Susan wasn't sure if it was from fear or sadness or what exactly as Will started to draw into herself while giving Susan a frightened glance.

"Of course we're getting ice cream honey, remember we're having girls night." Susan said smiling at the redhead while running a hand through the girl's hair. Susan led the redhead to the counter and looked at the list of flavors on the glass.

"Can I help you?" An older woman asked wearing an apron over a grey sweat suit.

"Can we please get two half gallons of rocky road please?" Susan asked noticing Will staring at the tub of peanut butter cup through the glass. "And a half gallon of peanut butter cup as well as a triple scoop cone of it."

"Mom, its six bucks a half gallon!" Will gasped seeing the pricing on the glass.

"They make it themselves honey and it's the best around." Susan said, "Its worth it…Honey, you're worth it."

"Here you go." The woman said handing the large ice cream cone to Susan as she noticed the redhead staring at the cone out of the corner of her eyes while pretending to look at a magazine on the rack.

"Here honey." Susan said handing the cone to Will who took it questioningly.

"You want me to carry it for you?" Will asked while staring at it hungrily. How the girl could still be hungry after the meal she put away was beyond Susan but if Will wanted it she had it.

"Of course not honey, I want you to eat it." Susan said with a smile.

"You're kidding, right?" Will asked skeptically.

"No, I can't eat anything right now if I wanted honey, I saw you eyeing it and thought you would like it." Susan said noting Will fighting back tears before whispering a thank you before starting to devour the peanut butter cup loaded ice cream cone while she collected the three generically marked cartons of ice cream from the woman.

Susan took the cartons and walked with Will up to the counter and sat them down before noticing the few stuffed animals hanging from the rack on the counter. It wasn't the tiger or panda animals that caught her attention, it was the frog with large eyes that caught her attention. While she didn't mind paying a large price for the ice cream as it was the best and Will's favorite she hated buying too much else there as it was usually way over priced like the fifteen dollar price tag on the frog that was poorly covering up a printed five dollar tag on it. Still, it was a frog and it might even raise Will's spirits a little as it was her obsession next to rocky road.

Taking the frog she put it on the counter with the ice cream and pulled her credit card back out of her purse as the cashier rung everything up. She swiped her card through the machine idly wondering if it even had any left on it after such a day but she knew it did and knew it was worth it as she looked back at the redhead quietly finishing off the cone making the woman wonder if the redhead was immune to brain freeze.

"Here you go honey." Susan said handing the redhead the bag with the frog and watched as Will took it not really paying much attention to what was inside of it. "Look inside the bag honey."

"Huh?" Will asked eloquently as Susan gathered the two bags with the ice cream and turned to find Will staring in the bag.

"It's yours honey." Susan said unprepared for the girl throwing her arms around the woman. At least that was one thing that never changed, Will always loved frogs and acted like this almost every time Susan bought her one. It was never a game either, Will was genuinely appreciative of the gifts like that that Susan always got her.

"Thank you." Will whispered with a catch in her voice.

"You're very welcome honey, I'm glad you liked it." Susan said kissing the girl's check. "We better get going though before the ice cream melts."

"Okay." Will said while nodding in agreement, thankfully seeming to have forgotten what happened a few minutes ago with Hay Lin.

NOTES

Wow, the longest chappie yet for this story, hope everyone liked and if you did please for the love of god review. Pwetty pwease…

Aesop: Thankies, I really am trying but I really do suck at pacing but I am trying to get better which is why I'm taking a little extra time on the next chappie of Never a Normal Life. SPOILER WARNING: Part of what you said did happen though Phobos and Candracar knows what happened though no one else does. Candracar for the moment can't contact Earth because of what happened to Will. The book you are talking about sounds interesting and if you remember the title will you let me know? Thankies.

Blackwing: Thankies, I will try to keep a better eye out for that and try not to make those mistakes as much anymore.

Philip Gipson: Thankies and it will take a little time. She really was starving as she never ate much in her old reality and she still has the same body in the new one as she isn't replacing the Will from there, just being given a chance at a better life with people who would really care for her if she can accept it and everyone can accept her after the truth is discovered. Your welcome and I am so happy that you are enjoying it and hope you liked this chappie.


	7. Chapter 7

Will carried the DVDs, popcorn and the bag with her new frog in it as she followed Susan down the hall to their apartment, her mother carrying the ice cream. Will couldn't believe that Susan had not only bought her two brand new DVDs but also a stuffed frog. She had always loved frogs since being a little girl but Susan had pretty much destroyed every single one as time went by telling her she didn't deserve them.

If she didn't deserve them though why was there a ton of them in her room now as well as Susan having just bought her one, true it was a cheap one with an over inflated price but that didn't matter to Will. What mattered was that her mother had bought it for her as well as those two Princess Diaries movies.

"So did you enjoy lunch, honey?" Susan asked with a smile.

"I loved it." Will said unable to keep from smiling. Despite being attacked by Hay Lin her mother had protected her. Her mother had taken her out to a feast for lunch, bought her movies, a stuffed frog and bought enough junk food for an army for a girls night watching said movies. As much as she was afraid to admit having a good time as she knew as soon as she did it would all come crashing down. She couldn't help it. She took a chance to look at Susan's expression and couldn't find a trace of malice there, only a happy smile.

"I'm glad honey." Susan said taking both bags with one hand as she took the keys and unlocked the door.

"Did you enjoy your lunch?" Carol asked from behind the two causing them both to jump slightly. Will had to bite her lip from giggling as Susan clutched at her chest taking several deep breaths to calm down. She was afraid to laugh though because she didn't want to ruin the day by doing something that stupid and earning her mother's wrath.

"Yes Missus Wilson." Will said smiling shyly. It was still hard to believe that Mister Leary didn't live there but instead this seemingly kind elder woman.

"Please, Will, when did you get all formal with me." Carol said smiling, "We're all friends here…Family even, call me Carol."

"O-Okay, Carol." Will said stuttering a little as she was a little surprised. Here was someone asking her to be impolite and not refer to her by last name which was something a little shocking to the redhead. Heck, if Will pulled something like that normally it would usually result in at least a smack from her mother as soon as they were alone causing her to shudder realizing she just did it while Susan was standing next to her.

"Have fun tonight." Carol said eyeing the bags, "I can see you two aren't wasting time before having a girls night."

"Not at all, Carol." Susan said smiling as she opened the door, "I don't want to waste any time with Will now that I finally have her back."

"Well you two go have fun." Carol said as she went back into her apartment causing Will to freeze in fear knowing it was finally going to happen. The good time she was starting to have was about to end now thanks to her foolishness.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Susan asked gently obviously picking up on the fear in the redhead.

"A-Aren't you going to hit me?" Will asked softly, her eyes beginning to tear up a little as a shudder washed through her body anticipating the beating she was going to get.

"What?" Susan asked her jaw hanging open in shock, "For what?"

"You always at least smack me if I'm rude like that." Will said watching her feet unable to watch her mother's beautiful and happy face turn into the hideous angry face she was more familiar with.

"Okay, you want me to smack you I will." Susan sighed causing Will to squeeze her eyes shut tightly, a few tears escaping as she felt her mother's hand caress her cheek softly tilting her head up and something soft and moist brush across her forehead. "Was that good enough?"

Will's eyes snapped open to stare into the twinkling eyes of her mother though there was a sad look in them. "What was that?"

"I gave you a smack…or more of a peck." Susan said leaning in again, this time as Will kept her eyes open and kissed the redhead's right cheek, then the left one then the forehead again. Will started giggling a little despite herself as she backed away blushing slightly though she much preferred her mother's affectionate display in public over a beating any day.

"Y-You aren't going to hit me?" Will asked having to make sure as she watched her mother shake her head no.

"Honey, I promised you I would never hit you and I mean it." Susan sighed, "You are the most precious thing in my life."

"I…I'm sorry." Will sighed looking down again. She wanted to believe the woman but she couldn't bring herself to. Sure she actually felt a little safe at the moment but she knew it was bound to end sooner or later, most likely sooner.

"Don't be sorry, honey." Susan said, "Let's get this inside before it melts."

Will nodded and walked into the apartment as Susan closed the door behind them. She nervously looked back over her shoulder where Susan kicked off her shoes near the door and pulled her jacket of hanging it up. She didn't look angry or anything as she walked past Will and sat the bags she was carrying on the stand by the couch before coming back and taking Will's stuff making her sigh a little. She should have known she would never be able to keep them but the woman didn't start berating Will or anything. In fact Susan was gently helping Will take her jacket off before handing the stuff back to Will.

"Why don't you go put your new frog in your room and I'll be in a couple minutes." Susan said moving to pick back up the ice cream, "I'm going to put this away and I have to make a quick phone call."

"Okay." Will said as she kicked her shoes off next to Susan's not wanting to track anything into the apartment as they were a little muddy from the rain earlier. She quietly made her way back through the hallway to her door and for the first time noticed the doorknob was still on it. In fact there was a poster of a bunch of frogs saying 'Welcome to Frog Country' on the front of it bringing a slight giggle at how cute it was. She had never seen it before as well as most everything else in the room as she entered into the alien environment.

She dropped the movies on the desk before finding a spot on the dresser she pulled the frog from the bag and carefully removed the price tag dropping it in the small empty wastebasket. She gently sat the frog down on the dresser next to the CD player before noticing something sitting next to it. It was something that was electronic, that was for certain as she found a small latch and unfolded it finding a small screen on the upper half and what looked like a CD player on the bottom. Looking at the cover she saw stickers of frogs covering it but she found a symbol that had 'DVD Video' on. It was a portable DVD player! Since when did she have one of those.

Looking up she almost dropped the player as she noticed pictures she knew for certain she never posed for. There was a ton of pictures framing the mirror on the back of the dresser, most having her and one of the other girls laughing and smiling in the shot and a few with all five girls with huge grins on their faces. She dropped to her knees staring at the picture in shock, her legs giving out as tears started forming in her eyes as she couldn't deny how happy all five of them looked in the picture. Turning the picture over she saw in Hay Lin's intricate hand writing, 'Happy birthday Will, Love you' and there was the signatures of each of the girl's on it. They had never once celebrated a birthday with her much less wished her well on one as Susan never threw her a party for years and they never did.

"_WILL!" Hay Lin screamed throwing herself at Will, throwing her arms around the redhead knocking them both to the ground._

She thought about the confrontation with the Asian girl from earlier and as scared as she was when the girl came flying at her Will was sure she seen the girl crying. She didn't even remember any pain except being knocked to the ground and some from being squeezed near to death.

"_Oh god…We should have tried harder."_ Will remembered Hay Lin crying over Will's hysterics. Will's fingers became limp as the picture slid from her grasp and slowly fell to the floor.

"_You fucking bitch, this is all your fault!" Cornelia screeched as Hay Lin and Irma painfully held Will's arms behind her back, Taranee yanking her hair back forcing her to look into the hateful glare the blonde was giving her._

"_I'm sorry, please…God please stop it!" Will sobbed as her body ached with pain, each of the girls had taken turns hitting and kicking her before they finally dragged her to her feet and held her for the raging earth guardian._

"_SHUT UP!" Cornelia seethed backhanding Will across the face as hard as she could actually knocking the redhead from the other girls' grasp and to the ground._

That didn't even happen very long ago and was how the girls were not like the smiling, friendly faces in that picture. That picture was wrong, it had to be, everything she's been through couldn't be a lie! She had the injuries to prove it, the memories of the hateful faces that should be in that picture of how the girls really are.

"_Oh god…We should have tried harder."_

Hay Lin sounded genuinely upset and caring for Will but she couldn't be, she hated the redhead as much as the others did. She blamed Will for all the trouble they had to go through as guardians.

"_Like you? I can't even stand looking at you!" Hay Lin snarled angrily as she drove her foot into the prone body of the redhead on the ground, taking her turn with her. "If you never came here then none of this would have ever happened! God, I wish you were never born!"_

"Will?" Susan asked drawing Will's attention from her thoughts as she felt herself being drawn into a protective and loving embrace. Giving into her pain Will dove into the welcoming arms and cried into the woman's shirt as she clutched at it as Susan rubbed her back, occasionally stroking her hair while rocking the two of them soothingly.

"Honey…What's wrong?" Susan asked after calming the redhead down.

"This…It's not real…" Will sniffed as Susan continued stroking Will's hair. "None of it is, it can't be..."

"It is honey, you're home now and no one is ever going to hurt you ever again." Susan said lovingly almost making Will want to believe her but she couldn't afford to. She knew that this was going to come crashing down soon but she wanted to try and enjoy it while she could.

"C-Can we go watch the movies now?" Will asked nervously, pulling back to see her mother's teary eyes. Susan was crying too, and she had several times when Will was upset today. It was something else Will couldn't understand but decided to try to put if off until later. She knew all this was wrong but she didn't care for the moment because she wanted to enjoy the brief respite from the hell that she knew was normal.

"Sure honey." Susan said running her hand through Will's hair one more time before kissing her forehead. Standing up Susan helped Will to her feet before going to the dresser pulling out a pair of blue pajamas with a frog pattern on them.

"What are those?" Will asked looking at the silk pajamas, admiring them. She loved the frog pattern and wished she had something like that until she realized they were too small for Susan who was moving over to help Will take her shirt off.

"Mom!" Will gasped in surprise.

"It' s okay honey, I'm going to help you get changed." Susan said as she was very careful about pulling the top over Will's head so not to cause the girl's sore ribs and battered back any more pain than necessary. Next she unhooked her bra and slid it off causing Will to shiver slightly as the woman slowly slid it off before helping pull her jeans off. "Okay honey, lay face down on the bed."

"Wh-Why?" Will asked fearing that for the first time it was going to be her own mother was going to be the one to force her into things she hated as she crossed her arms over her chest hiding herself.

"It'll be easier for me to put this on you." Susan said showing Will a tube of something, "I'm sorry if it will sting a little but the pharmacist told me it would help draw the soreness and ease the pain."

Will nodded slowly unsure to trust the woman as she climbed onto the bed and hid her face in the pillow praying silently that the woman didn't do anything else than that. She felt a coldness ooze onto her back before Susan started massaging it gently working the cream in causing a warm feeling as she did. The woman gently worked her way down her back and each leg covering all the bruising while being careful of the cuts there. After what seemed like an eternity Susan got up from the bed making Will to look up at her.

"Okay honey, you can get up now." Susan said smiling as she picked up the pajama bottoms as Will let climbed from the bed stiffly though she had to admit the soreness was fading a little. Will started to take the pajamas but Susan instead knelt and helped Will put each leg in them before pulling them up.

"You know I can dress myself." Will said a little unsteadily, blushing a little at having to be helped getting dressed.

"I know honey but the least bending and twisting the better as it will help keep your injuries from getting worse." Susan said as she took the top and helped Will slide one arm in at a time before picking up the discarded clothes as Will buttoned it up.

"Mom…Thank you…" Will said softly as Susan was about to leave the room.

"Your welcome honey, I'm going to throw these in the dirty clothes and change myself." Susan said, "I'll meet you in the living room."

Will watched the woman leave before picking the movies up and heading back to the living room and sitting on the couch waiting for her mother to come in. She kept thinking about how nice the woman was, how much she was acting like she loved Will but a part of her kept telling her it was a lie, it had to be.

"You ready honey?" Susan asked walking in wearing a solid pink set of pajamas which earned Will's nod. She never saw Susan wearing anything that modest before but had to admit it made the woman look much nicer than the stuff she remembered the woman wearing. "Okay, I'll make us some popcorn and be right back."

Will waited for what seemed like an eternity for Susan to come back after she started smelling the strong buttery smell wafting through the apartment from the kitchen causing Will to drool a little. She had never remembered eating something like what she was smelling as the only memories she had of popcorn was dry little pieces of white puffs. It didn't have much of a smell and had less of a taste but what she was smelling now couldn't be described.

Finally Susan had emerged from the kitchen carrying two buckets of popcorn and what looked like two twenty four ounce bottles of Mountain Dew that Cornelia always had in her apartment as her parents always bought those six packs of it. Will had tried it a few times when the first met and they seemed like they were going to be friends.

"So which one first?" Susan asked handing Will a bucket of popcorn and bottle of pop while setting her own on the coffee table. Will was looking at the yellow popcorn that had very little white on it as she inhaled the rich buttery smell.

"Huh?" Will asked looking up.

"Which movie do you want to watch first honey?" Susan asked softly while reaching down to pick up the DVD's off the small table.

"I don't know, I really want to see them all." Will sighed.

"We can watch them all tonight honey." Susan said smiling, "I do have to go to work in the morning but we still have plenty of time to fit all three in before it gets too late."

"Okay…How about the Matrix first then the Princess Diaries in order." Will said hopefully while earning a confused glance from Susan making her want to panic from doing something wrong until Susan nodded.

"Matrix it is but if you don't like it honey we can stop it early." Susan said softly as she turned on the television and put the disc into the DVD player before joining her daughter on the couch with the remote in hand.

"This is really good." Will said smiling brightly as she shoved another handful of popcorn into her mouth.

"Slow down honey, your going to choke." Susan laughed gently as she took a bite of her own popcorn as the menu came up. Susan moved the cursor to play movie and hit it causing the movie to start.

The next two hours was one surprise after another as Will had actually paid attention to the movie as if it was the first time she seen it. With the way things had gone all day that was almost to be expected. What wasn't expected was the way Will was drawn into the movie actually enjoying it and as the credits rolled Will leaned back happily.

"That was so awesome!" Will exclaimed, "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome honey." Susan said as the doorbell rang drawing the older woman's attention. "I'll be right back honey, I think I know who that is."

Will watched in confusion as Susan walked to the door and peaked out the peephole before smiling and sliding the chain off the door and unlocking the deadbolt. "Will, please wit right there."

"Huh?" Will asked under her breath as she saw Susan open the door still in her pajamas without a robe or anything. The redhead's blood ran cold as she saw who was standing there holding a pizza and a six pack of those Mountain Dews.

"Hey hun, I brought the stuff you wanted." Dean said handing Susan the Pizza box and pop as Susan leaned in and kissed Dean.

"Thanks Dean, I'm really sorry." Susan said sadly before kissing him again.

"Don't be, Susan." Dean said smiling as the two broke apart, "If Will is hurting like you said she doesn't need me hanging around right now. Besides you two should be spending some time alone. Just let her know that I love her and if she needs anything I'll be there for her."

"Thanks Dean, good night." Susan said as Dean said his goodbyes shutting the door behind him and locking it back up to Will's surprise and relief. Her mother wasn't going to let Dean stay the night which meant he wasn't going to touch her.

"Hey sweetie, I had Dean pick up your favorite pizza." Susan said sitting down the pizza and Mountain Dew on the coffee table as she went to change the movies. When she came back she giggled a little at seeing Will staring at the box but sighed sadly as she realized Will was too afraid to touch it before Susan said anything.

Sitting next to Will Susan started the movie and dropped the remote on the table next to the pizza box and opened it. "Dig in Will."

"Y-You sure?" Will asked nervously reaching hesitantly towards the pizza loaded with toppings.

"I'm sure." Susan said before Will attacked the pizza with gusto while they watched the next movie. They both enjoyed the movie, though Susan was sure Will liked it more while they ate the pizza. Actually, while Will finished off the pizza after Susan ate just one piece declining anymore.

The final movie started with Susan getting Will a huge bowl of ice cream, several scoops of both rocky road on top of a banana and with chocolate sauce and whipped cream that they already had. Susan got herself a small bowl of just one scoop of rocky road and a little whipped cream.

About halfway into the movie Will started yawning so Susan gently pulled her down on the couch letting the redhead use her lap as a pillow. Susan smiled as she gently stroked Will's hair as the redhead started drifting off to sleep.

"Mom…Even if you start hating me again tomorrow," Will yawned, "Thank you…Thank you so much for the best day in my life."

Susan couldn't help crying a little as Will obviously meant it, the younger girl having must have been through so much under that bastard's torture. If she ever had a chance Susan swore she would make that freak prince suffer everything Will had been through ten fold.

NOTES

Wow, another decently long chappie, I believe even a little longer than the last one. I hope I didn't draw everything out in it too long.

Philip Gipson: Thankies, Hope you liked the way they interacted in this chappie as well as some of Will's memories even if they were a little sad. I'll go more into what's going on with the refugees in a chappie soon but I don't want to give too much away just yet. Thankies, they are my specialties which is kind of sad in a way I guess. I'm trying to make a video for the other one and I'll try this one but I can't make any promises because it will be the first time I ever did anything like that, sorries.


	8. Chapter 8

Stretching stiffly as Will groggily opened her eyes though she didn't want to, she was having the best dream she had ever had as her mother was being everything Will had often dreamed of the woman becoming. This was reality though, that would never happen as she realized a long time ago. Sitting up she realized she was asleep on the couch with a blanket draped over her making her sigh even more. Dean and Susan must have had a fight last night meaning she got kicked out of her room but she wasn't sore down there or anywhere else meaning he must not have forced himself on her or beat her any before taking over her room.

Looking around the darkness she felt her stomach drop, the kitchen light was on and the smells of cooking was wafting out of the lit room. Instantly Will was up and hurrying to the kitchen hoping to avoid too bad a beating for over sleeping and not helping get Susan and Dean's breakfast ready for the two.

In her panic Will didn't hear what Susan said as the redhead looked at the table in panic as it was already set for two and it looked like Susan was just finishing putting pancakes and sausage on the two plates at the table.

"I'm sorry I over slept, I'm sorry." Will blurted out, closing her eyes tightly while hugging herself waiting for the pain to start. It didn't though, instead there was arms encircling her and a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm sorry to get you up so early honey but I have to go to work and I wanted to make sure I was able to help you put some more of that cream on your back and legs." Susan said letting Will go as the redhead looked up at the older woman fearfully.

"Y-You aren't going to hit me?" Will asked in disbelief.

"Honey, what did I tell you yesterday?" Susan asked waiting for an answer and when none came continued, "Will, you're my daughter and I love you, I'd never hurt you."

"That was a dream…" Will said softly as she realized what she was wearing, being in too big a panic when she was sure she was in trouble.

"No, honey, it wasn't." Susan said, hugging Will again gently before leading the redhead to the table and the bigger plate of food. "I know you are probably really hungry so I made you twice as much as I normally did."

'Plus she's aged two years since then.' Susan added sadly in her mind.

"Th-this is really mine?" Will asked softly, awe in her voice.

"Of course honey." Susan said going to the fridge and bringing back a carton of orange juice and filling Will's glass before sitting it down next to Will in case the girl wanted more before getting her cup from the microwave and opening up the jar of instant coffee mixing some into the water forgoing any creamer this morning. When she sat down at her own plate she smiled at her daughter before bowing her head and clasping her hands in prayer. "Dear Lord, thank you for returning my daughter to me and keeping her alive. Please, help her and protect her during her time of need and we thank you for this food before us. Amen."

Susan looked up smiling at the redhead whose jaw was hanging open, fork sticking out of it with syrup leaking down her chin a little as Will must have drenched them in it as it looked like she poured almost a third of the bottle on them.

"Wh-When did you start praying?" Will asked in shock after she finally swallowed and licked the bit of syrup from her mouth.

"Honey, we've always been Christians." Susan said, tears forming in her eyes but she refused to let them loose. "I was beginning to let everyone convince me that Phobos had killed you but I always prayed and hoped you were still alive. I knew you were…In my heart but…In my head I started to believe it…God Will, I'm so sorry."

Will looked in shock as the woman across from her buried her face in her hands and started crying into them. This was all too surreal, her mother never cried, she screamed and tortured Will. Still, after everything this woman has done for her, even after everything she did in the past she couldn't sit there and let her cry like that. Putting her fork down she nervously stood up and walked around the table and knelt down next to the darker haired woman's chair and wrapped her arms around the older woman and although she couldn't say she trusted her she could tell her one thing that was the truth. "I love you mom."

"Oh honey." Susan cried pulling Will up and kissing her cheek. "I love you too, I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you."

There was no menace in the older woman's eyes, only the kindness and love that was there all day yesterday and as much as Will wanted to strike out and hurt the woman as badly as she hurt her she couldn't. She meant what she said, she loved the woman and for some reason only god knew the woman believed everything she was saying. Will knew better but she couldn't stand seeing this woman hurting like this.

"D-Don't be sorry, Y-you did everything you could." Will said though her mind was calling her a traitor trying to comfort this woman. Her heart though knew she did the right thing as the woman gave Will a weak smile.

"Thanks honey." Susan said squeezing Will's hand lovingly, "You better finish your pancakes before they get cold."

"Thanks…mom." Will said sitting back down keeping an eye on the older woman as she quickly devoured the remaining food on her plate. Susan had slowly eaten her food but due to Will having a lot more they actually finished about the same time. Susan smiled at Will when the older woman noticed Will's watchful eye and the redhead couldn't help but smiling back.

"Would you like some more?" Susan asked gently as Will resisted the urge to lick her plate clean. Besides that urge she had to admit she was actually full which was a feeling she only really ever experienced a few precious times and all of the maws pretty much over the last twenty four hours.

"No thanks, mom." Will said, starting to gather the dishes but stopped when Susan's hand gently held hers.

"I'll clean up while you shower unless you need help washing up." Susan said but Will didn't want help doing that, she didn't really want help dressing yesterday as it was kind of embarrassing having your mother dress you at Will's age but it felt good knowing that the woman cared enough to do so.

"I can do it." Will said, blushing a little.

"I cab help you start the water and get undressed if you want." Susan said gently.

"I can do it." Will said, turning a little redder but a part of her actually wanted the help but she was scared of what else Susan might want to do. The woman had never done anything before leaving that stuff to Dean but Will was always a little scared of the woman doing it just to humiliate her even farther.

"If you're sure but if you need any help at all make sure you call me, okay?" Susan said, "I don't want you aggravating anything."

"I promise." Will; sighed as she started to leave but Susan stopped her with a gentle hand on the shoulders. Will looked back to see Susan holding a glass of water in her free hand.

"Here honey." Susan said giving Will the water which made Will blink in confusion, she wasn't thirsty. Then Susan walked over to the fridge and grabbed two bottles from the top causing Will to sigh as she forgot about them. They were a little bit the reason behind Will wasn't able to stay awake through the second Princess Diaries.

"Do I have to?" Susan asked.

"If you aren't hurting you don't have to take the pain pill but you need the other one to help make sure you don't get any infections." Susan said. Will thought at first that the reason Susan was giving her a choice on the pain pills was she wanted them for herself. Looking up in the concerned eyes of the older woman wiped that idea away though as Will actually believed the woman was clean because of the clarity in her eyes even though that didn't make sense as she saw Susan almost overdosing just a few nights ago.

"I don't want to take the pain pill mom…I'd like to go out some today while your at work." Will said causing fear to wash over the older woman's face.

"Please promise me you'll come home." Susan pleaded, as it looked like she was about to cry.

"I promise I will mom." Will sighed as she hugged her mom carefully so she didn't spill the water or hurt herself.

"Don't go anywhere near the Meridian either, I don't want to risk Phobos taking you again." Susan said.

"I promise." Will said pulling away and taking the bottle with the antibiotics from Susan and taking one before handing her mom back the glass and bottle.

"Okay, go ahead and go get cleaned up but don't get dressed." Susan said causing Will to sigh slightly.

"Mom, I'm seriously okay, I can dress myself." Will said.

"Honey, I want to help put more cream on your back and legs. When you get showered you can put some panties on but don't put a bra on yet, I want to make sure to get your back good." Susan explained, "After you get out of the shower call me then go lay down on your bed and I'll be in."

"Okay." Will sighed as she went to do her morning rituals. It was a little hard to somewhat as she still hurt from the last beating she had, the soap stinging as it seeped into the lacerations that reopened slightly from all her exertions. After finishing though and drying off she slipped into a pair of panties she retrieved from her room, something she still couldn't believe as it was filled full of stuff that was hers.

Crossing her arms across her chest she left the bathroom and headed towards her room calling over her shoulder that she was done before hurrying to her bed and laying down on her stomach. A few moments later Susan came in and sat something down by Will's head on the pillow.

"What's that?" Will asked cracking an eye open as Susan sat down on the bed next to Will.

"Its money I've been putting in the bank for your allowance, birthday and two Christmases that you missed." Susan said sadly, "I also have your gifts in my room for you to."

"Y-Your kidding, right?" Will asked as she felt Susan starting to kneed the soothing cream into her back gently as the redhead reached for the wallet and opened it. There was a school ID from two years ago as well as a checkbook and VISA debit card.

"Please honey." Susan said sadly as she paused for a moment, "Don't run away from me. I know you think I hurt you but I didn't honey and honestly I didn't want to give that to you yet but…Trust has to start somewhere."

"I…I won't run away, mom." Will whispered, tears stinging her eyes at the honest fear the woman had of losing Will. Slowly she flipped the cover of the checkbook open and looked at the long list of deposits made with no withdraws. Her eyes traveled down two pages worth until stopping at the total that said '$3235.78' causing her to choke a little in surprise. "Th-This is mine?" Will asked as Susan finished her legs.

"Yes honey, you shouldn't spend all of it at once though." Susan said gently letting Will sit up, crossing an arm over her chest as she did so.

"I…I can't believe it." Will gasped, her entire life she probably never had a total of a hundred dollars and now, to her, she had a small fortune.

"Believe it." Susan said, smiling while ruffling Will's hair. "I'll help you get dressed."

"I can do it." Will said as Susan opened the dresser and pulled out a bra and was almost to the closet when she stopped to think for a second.

"Will, how good do your clothes fit?" Susan asked, "Your favorite outfit looked like it fit pretty good but it used to be really baggy on you. I kept putting you new stuff in here for when you came back but…I kind of had to guess."

"That's why they all look like they're almost new?" Will asked in surprise.

"Yes honey." Susan said pulling out an ankle length denim skirt and a white blouse out of the closet. Will noticed as Susan had actually pulled the tags off as she laid them on the bed next to Will. Will had never worn anything like that though she had often admired Cornelia's skirts and wished she had a few of her own. "I didn't want you to come back and not have any clothes at all. I did my best guessing when buying you new stuff."

"Wow, thanks." Will said smiling a little. She never really thought about it but so far the pajamas did fit and the outfit she wore yesterday Susan admitted to being older but said it used to be really baggy. The bra was a little tight, even after adjusting it but it wasn't that bad and she wasn't about to tell the woman that and crush her spirit. Besides, it wasn't like she ever had one to fit good anyways.

"Your welcome honey." Susan said smiling a little, "Are you sure you can get dressed by yourself?"

"I'm sure mom but…Thank you." Will said smiling gratefully at Susan.

"Your welcome honey." Susan said kissing the top of Will's head, "I have a half hour before I need to start getting ready for work so when you get done I want you to come to my room and open some of your presents."

"Okay." Will said as Susan closed the door behind her. Will was actually surprised by all this and the first thing she planned to do later was check the bank account to see if the woman was on the level about it but for some reason she knew Susan was. She couldn't believe it, she actually had Christmas and birthday presents. The most she ever had on those days for awhile was maybe a half way decent meal and maybe a few pieces of clothing that Susan didn't want anymore. If she was really lucky Susan was in a good mood those days and Will avoided a beating.

With a small smile as the cynical part of her kept saying there wasn't anything couldn't overpower the excitement she had of having actual gifts from her mother. She hurried and got dressed so she could go see what her mother had gotten her.

NOTES

Wow, another chappie done, hope you all loved it. Anyways I almost have the next chappie for 'Never a Normal Life' done and I should have it posted soon as well. I will also be finally updating 'Hate or Fear' by tomorrow night for sure but the updates on that one will be slower than 'Never a Normal Life' and 'A Chance at Happiness' due to those two getting priority for the moment, sorries.

Philip Gipson: Thankies an so far yep they are. Thankies again, I wanted to show Will thinking about the differences between the two Hay Lins after the encounter at the store when she saw the pictures in her room. Sadly my website won't have any updates for maybe a week until I get the money to buy a premium account as I ran out of space. (Which is why I removed the forums since no one has used them yet, I used it's space for my last update, sorries. If anyone wants my forums back I'll make some new ones when I get my premium account. I may even make a forum here for my stories.) Also, I did try making those two Witch videos but my computer can't handle it I guess. I've been in the middle of trying to add the clips and it keeps crashing, I might be able to when I add some more RAM but that won't be able to happen for at least a few weeks as that will cost a lot more than my website will as well I need to upgrade a few other things that I have been putting off because I'm trying to build a new computer and have been saving most of what I get for it. Sorries.


	9. Chapter 9

Will blinked as she entered her mother's room as the older woman had called in to tell Will that she was going to take a quick shower while the redhead got ready and to go ahead and wait in there for her to come out. In one corner of the room was a small Christmas tree on a nightstand and a huge pile of gifts surrounding the table. She started to walk over to them when she caught a picture frame on the other nightstand next to the bed sitting by an alarm clock.

Walking over to the nightstand with the picture stiffly she sat down on the bed not taking her eyes from the insane picture that much like the ones in her room she never posed for. Susan and Dean were standing side by side with an arm wrapped around each other with huge gentle smiles on their faces. What was bothering Will about the picture was the fact she was standing with them, a little younger, in front with their outside arms wrapped around her shoulder hugging her to them. The redhead in the picture was laughing happily it looked and it even reflected in her eyes. There wasn't any pain or sadness in those eyes, as if she was really happy being that close to the two people who tormented her for years.

"Hey Will." Susan said smiling as the older woman came into the room causing Will to quickly wipe the tears from her eyes before the older woman noticed. Looking up she was kind of surprised to se Susan only having a towel wrapped around her body and a second one in her hair. "Ready to open some of your presents?"

"Some?" Will asked.

"I want to be here while you open some of them honey but I don't have enough time before I have to be to work." Susan sighed, "I wish I could just stay here all day but we have a deadline and I have to be there today. I'd rather spend the whole day with you."

"Okay." Will said smiling a little for the woman though it was a little strained after seeing that picture. She was still a little excited though to get presents and she was very shocked at seeing the large amount of them carefully stacked but they couldn't have all been hers.

"Okay, you can sit on the bed while I hand you them." Susan said kneeling on the floor still wrapped in her towel.

"Mom, why didn't you just use the hair dryer?" Will asked a little curious.

"You know how much I prefer letting my hair dry naturally, I bought that for you when you insisted you'd rather dry your hair quickly and get it over with." Susan said before shaking her head sadly, "Y-You don't remember, do you?"

"I'm sorry, mom." Will sighed looking down at her hands wringing each other in her lap before a large reticular package was handed to her. Gently she took it and almost dropped it as it was a lot heavier than she thought it was going to be.

"This one is from Dean and myself honey, he got it for you this last Christmas for school." Susan said as Will studied the package There was also a smaller package taped to the top which she opened first though she wasn't sure why she was even bothering with it. Knowing that bastard it was probably something perverted.

After getting the paper off the smaller package Will started in confusion at a small stack of slim case DVD-Rs the package said but it looked like they were opened as there was no wrapper on them and they were being held together by a rubber band.

"It's all the material you missed while you were gone at school, honey." Susan said smiling, "It'll make more sense when you open the bigger present. It was his idea, he said it would help you a lot with school and I thought it was a good idea."

Carefully removing the wrapper Will almost dropped it a second time as the only one among the girls who had one was Cornelia as her family was loaded unlike the others. It was a seventeen inch wide screen Sony VAIO with an Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 gigabytes of RAM, a 320 gigabyte hard drive, a Blue Ray Super Multi Burner and a gigabyte of video RAM. While not exactly knowing a whole lot about computers she knew that this was one of the best as Cornelia had one just a little older and often complained at how it was a piece of crap and often begged her family for a newer like this one which they declined as the one she had wasn't even that old.

"I don't understand." Will said shaking her head in disbelief, "Why?"

"Because it will help you not only get caught up but also help you with current school work." Susan explained, "This was specially ordered and is loaded with a two year subscription to some web site he knows with access to a huge library of educational e-books including the biggest online encyclopedia there is."

"How can I use that in school?" Will asked, still a little in awe at the obviously already expensive gift and it was only gaining in price.

"That's another great thing about the custom version." Susan said grinning, "It has some of the best games my company has made, ones I've made including on line games. Another department of Simultech has made wireless broadband for notebooks, designed especially for gaming but can be used for anything web based, though it's not in wide circulation yet but I got you a five year subscription to it and the card is already installed in it."

"O-Okay." Will said not exactly following what her mother was saying besides that the computer had free five years of internet access she could use anywhere and she had access to an electronic library.

"Okay, next one." Susan said laughing a little, relieved that one thing was still the same. Despite being the daughter of a big time computer tech Will was still mostly clueless about the finer points. Picking up the next gift she studied the box and realized it was the VMJ autographed shirt she had bought her daughter the first Christmas she was missing. It was for a fundraiser and was a little more expensive than she wanted to pay for a simple shirt but Will really wanted it. When the redhead turned up missing Susan had wished so many times that she had just given it to the girl instead of making it one of Will's Christmas presents. "Will…I'm sorry that this probably won't fit anymore. I bought it for you before you disappeared."

"It's okay." Will sighed as Susan brought that up again. Will knew she hadn't went anywhere but for some reason it was almost like she did ad the strangest part was that her mother seemed to actually care. She gently tore the paper off the box and opened it up as she saw a pink shirt with VMJ's picture in a heart and his signature across the front. It didn't look like it would quite fit but it meant just as much to her as the computer did as her mother had bought it for her. In fact it meant more than the computer as her mother had bought it by herself for Will unlike the computer which that bastard had a hand in. Taking it out of the box she hugged it to herself. "I really like it."

"I'm glad honey but a lot of this stuff is clothes and a lot of it won't fit but I will take you out and make it up by buying you stuff that will fit." Susan said pulling a few boxes out of the pile and setting them up on the bed next to Will totally about twenty in all before setting a larger box about the size of the computer's box before pointing to a much larger box.

"I need to start getting dressed honey but go ahead and open these, they're from the girls, Dean and myself." Susan said giggling a little, "And you don't have to be careful with the wrapping honey."

Will blushed as her mother laughed a little about how silly Will was being at how careful she was being with the removal of the beautiful paper wrapping. Susan went to her dresser and started digging through it as Will picked up one of the smaller boxes and read the card on it signed from Irma. Ripping the paper off she found the first season of some show named 'Scrubs' on DVD. Why the hell did Irma buy her anything at all though?

Ripping off the next one's paper that had a card from Hay Lin on it she found two DVDs called 'Labyrinth' and 'Dark Crystal.' They looked like some kind of fantasy movies which actually fit Hay Lin as she was always the fantasy buff of the group. She was a great artist and was always painting different mythical creatures especially unicorns.

Looking at the next one she found it was from Cornelia and tore the paper and oversized bow off it and found yet another DVD which was a live concert of VMJ which was open which confused Will. She kind of figured Cornelia would have been the one the least likely to get her anything but for the blonde to give something used, even to someone she didn't like, was extremely weird. Opening the case she saw the DVD had some kind of writing on it. Looking closer she gasped at what was written, "To my number one fan Will, love you and Merry Christmas, Vance Michael Justin. XOXOXO."

Shaking a little she picked up another one which was from Taranee and ripped the paper off of it to find a box set of the three Sailor Moon movies uncut and unedited which was the only thing she recognized besides the VMJ concert DVD. Forgoing the rest of the DVDs for the time being which was from Susan or Dean she opened up the larger box to find a Sony DVD-RW player which explained the movies which also gave her a clue as to what was in the larger yet box.

Crawling off the bed she knelt down stiffly next to the box and tore the paper off the side of it to see what she thought. There was a fifty inch wide screen Phillips plasma television causing Will's jaw to drop as she was mentally adding up just how much this all cost so far and she hadn't even began to open up everything.

"Honey," Susan said drawing Will's attention to the woman buttoning up her blouse as she stood next to Will. Will couldn't help shuddering a little as her mind kept screaming to cover up before the beating started but the smile and loving look in the woman's eyes kept Will from doing so. "Please don't try moving that to your room by yourself. I know you're a little scared of Dean but Tom and him will have to put that up for you but if you want we can go out somewhere while he puts up your stand and mount your television on it."

Will couldn't help it, she launched herself at the older woman throwing her arms around Susan throwing them both onto the bed thankfully missing the pile of gifts on it as Will buried her face in Susan's half buttoned top sobbing into it as Susan started stroking the girl's hair.

"It's okay, honey." Susan whispered, holding the sobbing girl.

"Thank you mom." Will sniffed as she pulled back wiping the tears away, "I'm sorry I knocked you down."

"Don't be sorry honey." Susan said, "If you want you can open the rest of the stuff up but like I said I'll buy you new clothes since a lot of them won't fit. And please do not try to move the stand or television."

"Thanks mom." Will said slowly getting up a little surprised that the woman wasn't yelling for knocking her over like that but was thankful for it.

"Your welcome, honey." Susan said straightening her clothes and finishing buttoning her blouse before tucking it into her skirt and pulling on a vest with her name badge on it. "Just throw the paper away when your done or you can leave it and I'll clean it up when I get home. Remember, if you do go out and you have any problems just call Tom, he'll be at the station most likely or just call Simultech and ask for me."

"Thanks mom." Will said taking a card Susan pulled from her vest, admiring how beautiful her mother looked dressed in the knee length black skirt, black stocking, white blouse and maroon vest and hair now pulled back in a ponytail which she most have done while Will was preoccupied opening the gifts. "Wow, your really beautiful."

"Oh honey, thank you." Susan said hugging the redhead and kissing the top of her head before taking a pair of black pumps from the closet and slipping them on. The older woman went to her purse sitting on the dresser and fished a bill out of it and gave it to Will. The redhead almost choked seeing that it was a hundred. "I don't want you blowing your money on something to eat so take this and buy you something and take what ever is left and have a little fun today."

"Y-You're serious?" Will sputtered while looking in the honestly loving face of the older woman.

"Yep." Susan said, hugging Will again and kissing the redhead again. "I love you honey, and I wish I could have spent the day with you but I promise when I get home we can go out to dinner or something."

"I…I'd like that." Will said with a shy smile, a little afraid that if she actively admits to wanting to Susan may get angry at her for taking too much but that part was weakening a little. She still couldn't bring herself to truly trust the woman but for now she was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.

NOTES

Another chappie for 'A Chance at Happiness' and I hope everyone is enjoying it. The update for 'Fear or Hate' should, with all luck, be done by tomorrow night so keep an eye out for it.

Kisarools: Thankies, her mom really does love her and I'm glad you are enjoying this story. Thankies again!

Philip Gipson: Thankies, I did post the next chappie for 'Never a Normal Life' a little earlier today. In that story I'm making Will have a smaller ability to heal minor things like her own injuries at the beginning and then Irma. It isn't very powerful and can only do minor stuff like that and is an unconscious ability at the moment as Will doesn't know she's doing it. I'm kind of giving Will a few more abilities that will show up later as well and like her healing ability will be very weak. I should have the next chappie for 'Hate or Fear' up by tomorrow night before I go to bed. I am really sorry I can't do the videos right now and I haven't seen 300 hundred yet but I want to, thankies.

Aesop: It is going to be tricky but I am doing my best to follow your advice to take my time and pace my writing and hopefully this will turn out to be my best story for it. I am trying to think out the reactions and make each one pretty much how I think they would really react though I will have the hardest time with that. Thankies much. It's cool but if you do remember will you send the title to me? Please and thank you.


	10. Chapter 10

It was two hours later when Will found herself sprawled out on her back laying on her bed. It had seriously taken her that long to go through the insane amount of presents and put most of them away except for the television and stand as well as the smaller outfits which she left in her mother's room since Susan had said to because they would buy ones that fit. The only thing that she took was the VMJ shirt that was signed and hung it in her closet for now though she planned to hang it on the wall later.

Not only had Dean and her mother bought a ton of gifts for her but so did the girls and all them were great, well thought out gifts. None of them was just something they pain a buck for at the register of a gas station. That wouldn't have mattered though as she loved the frog her mother had bought her the day before when they stopped off and got the ice cream. What was important was the thought and caring behind the gifts that touched her.

Looking over toward her mirror she saw all the pictures covering her mirror and sighed sadly as she wished that the scenes in those pictures were reality. They couldn't have been real but they didn't really look fake, the genuine happiness on all their expressions couldn't have been faked. Then there was the picture of Susan, Dean and herself all together and happy in that picture which was a lie for sure. While she still loved her mother on some levels and despite wanting to believe all this she still hated that bastard. After everything he did to her Will didn't think she could ever even like him.

There were so many questions though about why everyone seemed to be acting to nice to her. Why did they seem as if they loved her but after spending the day with Susan she actually felt very conflicted about the older woman. While Will didn't truly trust her she felt as if the woman was being on the level and actually believed the story she was telling Will. The hardest part about all of it was all of the evidence around her that had actually started making the redhead start to question her own memories of the past events. Could there have ben some truth to Susan's story, could Phobos have kidnapped her and messed with all of her memories? If so though why let her escape and with the Heart no less?

It couldn't be that, there had to be more to it and as much as Will enjoyed all this time with a mother who loved her Will could not really relax until she knew what was going on. The question was who could she turn to for answers? She didn't want to confront her mother on it for so many reasons. If this was true then it would possibly hurt the older woman deeper than Will had already hurt her by acting the way she has around her. However if she angered Susan it could also earn her a beating which if that happened Will wasn't sure if she could take it. After seeing the beautiful, loving face and loving heart of the woman to see the fury and ugly hatred descending on her again would crush what little life Will felt she had left.

Candracar was out for the moment, as much as she wanted to make sure Luba was okay she was afraid that if she went back Luba would be punished worse and Will was afraid of what the Oracle would do to her. She had run off with not only the Heart of Candracar but also the source of the guardian's powers the aurameres.

There was only one person who she could think of who could give her some answers and it meant risking running into Cornelia's lapdog. Still, Yan Lin while never really liking Will the elder Asian woman didn't completely hate Will and had protected her from some of the worst from the guardians as the elder woman was disappointed that the guardians could beat the Keeper like they did. The elder woman was very disappointed in Hay Lin when finding out the younger girl's role in that particular attack on Will as Yan Lin had agreed to Will's decision to not tell Elyon and even supported it.

Getting up off the bed with a destination in mind Will grabbed her new black leather purse that Cornelia had gotten her that now held the wallet her mom gave her as well as a spare set of keys to the apartment. It didn't take her long to put a pair of sandals on and head to the elevator taking it down to the lobby where there was another reminder of just how strange things were getting.

She remembered the lobby was always filthy and always had gang members who lived in the apartment hanging out in the gang room, some often harassing her and leering at her. More than once they even groped her and shoved her around but thankfully it didn't get any worse than that not that it mattered lately with what Dean had forced her to do.

Instead of the game room there was a solid looking door that said 'SECURITY' on it and the lobby was not only clean it was beautiful. The floor was a white marble with expensive looking paintings on the walls and a desk that had actually had someone behind it and a large, beautiful fountain in the middle of everything.

"Can I help you?" The twenty something woman in a business suit asked from behind the desk. Will had never seen her yet as there was an older balding man sitting there yesterday wearing the male version of the same type of black and white suit making Will wonder if it was a uniform or something.

"Just going out for a bit, thanks." Will said giving the woman a shy smile as she passed, noticing the said woman giving the redhead an odd look. Will could hear the woman start to say something but was out the door before the woman could finish it.

Will wanted to get to the Silver Dragon before the lunch rush as started making it almost impossible seeing the woman until after it but if she had to wait Will was afraid that she would lose her nerve to confront Yan Lin. Still, Caleb could be a problem but how did get by him without causing a scene? Will almost laughed at herself for coming up with the perfect answer, make a scene! If she went in through the front and Caleb was serving he wouldn't dare attack her, not before a large group of people. It was the perfect plan.

Walking quickly towards the Chinese Restaurant Will pain little attention to some of the differences that she was seeing compared to her memories. Gone were the liquor stores and pawn shops to have beauty salons, book stores and even a youth center. As much as she wanted to stop and check out the youth center she forced herself onward until she passed one of the portal locations with the wall around it and actually did stop when she heard screaming coming over the wall.

"Damn it, get us reinforcements now!" A male voice shouted before gunfire drowned it out for a moment before it was silenced with a familiar loud roar. She was sure she saw blonde hair over the top of the wall for a moment before it disappeared back under the wall's top.

"Fools, you think you can stop me?" The voice laughed, "The only reason I haven't come before was because I didn't have a reason!"

"Oh god, he's supposed to be in prison." Will gasped shaking her head no.

"Oh god, get us help!" Another voice cried helplessly, "Two men down! Two Men Down!"

"Oh god, I don't have a choice." Will whispered running back into an alley out of sight before calling up the Heart from inside herself before calling out, "Guardian's UNITE!"

Will screamed in pain as five orbs of power shot from the Heart and straight into herself. She felt like she was drowning at first as power washed over her making it hard for her to breathe before she thought she was going to choke to death as she felt like she was being crushed by a ton of earth. Thankfully it was soon over giving her a few moments of relief though she was still trapped in the cocoon of power. It didn't last though as it felt as her entire body burst into flames before a hurricane gust of wind ripped through her tearing the flames away. Finally with a blast of what felt like lightning the cocoon of randomly changing colors shattered violently leaving a shaken Will stumbling while trying to catch her breath.

"Wh-What the hell just happened?" Will gasped while clutching her chest. It felt like her heart was going to rip right out of her chest as she felt sweat beading on her forehead. Actually, she was starting to become drenched in sweat as her breathing deepened even more and it was starting to hurt just to move.

"DIE HUMAN!" Cedric's voice echoed loudly as Will heard sirens in the distance approaching. They had no idea what they were up against, Will had to stop this before anyone else got hurt. Taking to the air, surprised how easily she shot up when she barely fluttered her wings. She quickly flew before the snakelike man, hovering before him grinning when he looked at her in shock. Dropping down to the ground she was shocked when cracks shot out in the ground from her impact.

Taking a quick glance around the small compound Will thought she was going to be sick seeing the blood pooling around the people, Meridianite and human both, as they laid on the ground. The few humans still able to move drew their guns aiming them at Will in shock at seeing her.

"Another one, kill it!" One of the men called before letting off several shots at her. Will cried out throwing her arms up trying to protect herself from the bullets as a part of her called her stupid for not trying to move instead.

"NO! She's a guardian!" A meridianite called in despair. Will blinked her eyes looking up seeing the bullets hanging in midair just before hitting her. Was she doing that? She got her answer as she relaxed a little causing the bullets to drop to the ground.

"I don't know how you survived guardian but I am going to rectify that right now." Cedric growled lashing his tail out at Will who tried to jump over it but shot ten feet up in the air as she felt the air currents caressing her body, lifting her.

"I-I'm taping into the others' powers?" Will gasped as she was starting to realize what was happening. The problem was that it was becoming much harder to breathe and move as the pain in her body started growing more and more. She wasn't sure what was going on but she knew she couldn't handle much more. She had to finish this up now!

"Come on down guardian, I have a little present for you!" Cedric growled making Will smirk a little, she had something for him to,

"Okay lizard lips, here I come!" Will cried rushing down driving her fist into the ground praying that this would work. She felt the earth shifting with her will as she commanded a huge chunk that Cedric was on to lift up. She hoped he would stay shocked long enough to shove him back through that portal due to him probably not knowing she could do this. Raising her hand up the ground under Cedric rose as will with him cursing her. With a quick shove Will sent rock and Cedric through. Taking out the Heart Will sealed the portal as several police cars skidded to a stop just outside the gate and the few people still up inside the compound started to wearily surround Will.

"Stay away from me!" Will cried launching into the air afraid of them trying to attack her again as she knew she couldn't protect herself from them. She did though, she stopped the bullets didn't she? But why couldn't she protect herself before? The last time she tried she felt like she was going to die from the pain the Heart sent through her.

The pain became to intense though as she almost made it to the alley she transformed in causing her to lose control and slam into the ground skipping across the uneven ground until slamming into a wall. She felt the worse of the pain fade away with her guardian form as she fought unconsciousness as a pair of dirty brown boots stomped into her vision. Looking up fear gripped her heart as she looked into the eyes of Cornelia's lapdog Caleb.

"Please…Please don't hurt me." Will whimpered as she tried to get up but gasped in pain as she strained. Slipping back to the ground she knew she couldn't protect herself as she finally succumbed to the darkness.

NOTES

Another chappie finished and I hope everyone enjoyed. This was actually the third time I wrote this chappie, each time completely different and I'm hoping the third times the charm as this was the best one I think. I suck at battle scenes but this one I had a lot of help on from some one I know but doesn't want their name mentioned.

Philip Gipson: Your welcome and I'm glad you liked the gifts though you are right about the Cornelia not likeing VMJ being called that which I really should make sure I put in here somewhere, thankies. LOL, truthfully that is usually the voices I imagine too as it's the easiest I guess as they are already established. You are totally right as I don't have HD, god I wish I did, but I might check it out this weekend. I'm working on it and hope you enjoyed this chappie.


	11. Chapter 11

Groaning Will opened her eyes wincing from the light, trying to let her eyes adjust as everything was so blurry. She could make out a shape moving toward her causing her to whimper a little in fright. Backing up in the bed she bumped into the headboard while blinking her eyes rapidly as they began to focus a little more.

"Will. It's okay." An unwanted voice said softly scaring Will even more as she recognized the voice even before she was able to make out a young man with brown hair wearing a tight black shirt and blue denim jeans.

"NO! Stay away from me!" Will cried out, wrapping her arms around her protesting chest while starting to shake in fear of what was about to happen. True he had never hurt her like Dean has but he still had beaten her severely several times as he was more than happy to if it pleased Cornelia. He'd do anything to make the blonde happy.

"It's me, Will, I'm not going to hurt you." Caleb said, resting a knee on the bed reaching out toward the shivering redhead who kept shaking her head refusing to look up at Caleb.

"Caleb, please go down and help in the restaurant." Yan Lin's firm voice said surprising Will but sending relief flooding through her as Will was sure Yan Lin wouldn't let the boy lay a finger on her.

"But Will…" Caleb started but stopped as Yan Lin waved him off.

"Will be okay, I'll make sure of it." Yan Lin said softly drawing the redhead's attention to the two talking about her. "Can't you se what you are doing to her? You're scaring the poor child out of her mind."

"Okay, but if either of you need anything I'll be right downstairs." Caleb said giving Will a sad look making the redhead wonder why? Was he disappointed that Yan Lin had stopped his fun with Will before he even got started? Will sighed as she knew that it was the most likely cause but was afraid to move in case he decided to just go through Yan Lin to get at her.

"It's okay, Will." Yan Lin said sitting down on the edge of the bed as Caleb left the room. She looked Will over studying the girl intently before continuing. "He isn't going to hurt you. Care to tell me who did? Where have you been?"

"You know who hurt me." Will said softly, looking accusingly at Yan Lin. She didn't understand it, Yan Lin may not have exactly liked Will but the elder woman was always completely honest, even to a fault.

"Humor me child." Yan Lin said with a sad smile.

"Everyone has, okay?" Will said flatly while burying her face in her knees, watching Yan Lin over the top of them out of the corner of her eyes. She was beginning to wonder if this was such a god idea coming to seek answers here.

"Let's start with your current injuries, child. Who did this to you?" Yan Lin said waving her hand along Will's body.

"Besides lizard lips, Mister Collins did." Will sighed, eyes watering as she remembered two nights ago.

"Dean Collins? The teacher? What happened?" Yan Lin asked, her eyes growing in surprise and worry.

"My mom, when she saw the grade I made on the test…She said I was a stupid idiot and nodded at him…" Will said, breathing heavily as she talked quietly. She couldn't stop though as she started seeing everything that happened in her mind, started remembering every painful detail as it flowed out of her mouth as if she was in a trance though she wasn't. "He…He hit me while my mom laughed and told him to take me to my room. He grabbed my hair…Dragged me to my feet and…He dragged me to my room slamming me against the doorframe before shoving me through…" Will's heart started beating faster as tears started streaming down her face, shuddering as she fought the pain she was feeling as if it was happening all over again. "He…He threw me down on my bed and…He ripped my clothes off me…Said I was a worthless whore just like my mom before he started slapping me hard when I begged him to stop…He…He took his belt and…He started beating me with it…"

"Will, sweetie you don't have to say anymore." Yan Lin said gently stroking Will's hair though the redhead didn't seem to respond to it.

"Oh god…It hurt so much…More than usual…God it hurts…Please stop…PLEASE!!!" Will screamed causing Yan Lin to pull her into her lap rocking her telling her she was safe as she struggled trying to escape.

"Will, stop it, your safe…Your safe, no one is going to hurt you." Yan Lin whispered, tears running down her aged face as she realized what had happened. She didn't want to believe it, she knew Dean and knew he was a good, kind man but what Will was feeling was very real.

"I'm safe?" Will asked hoarsely after calming down a little, her voice hoarse but full of hope.

"Yes child, no one will ever hurt you like that again." Yan Lin whispered while holding Will protectively, rubbing the younger girl's back gently causing her to gasp in pain a little.

"I'm sorry." Yan Lin whispered realizing Will's back must be hurt as well. She was able to see hoe malnourished and in pain the redhead was by the way she was holding herself and Yan Lin was sure that the pain wasn't from the earlier battle as she had seen a few bruises and cuts and the were not new. Yan Lin switched from the girl's back to stroking her red hair gently letting the girl cry in her arms.

"Why are you being so nice…You've never been like this before." Will asked softly, giving up on trying to break free when she realized it wasn't Dean holding her but Yan Lin.

"Sweetie, I love all you girls as my own." Yan Lin said gently.

"Not me…You never really liked me but you never hurt me like the others." Will sniffed, shaking her head slightly in disbelief as she knew better. "I know you were upset when you found out Hay Lin had a part in beating me when Elyon was taken but…You…You never did much about it. Hell, you know about Dean and my mom, you told me it was my responsibility to take care of my personal problems like that."

"Will…If I ever found out someone was hurting you like that I'd castrate the bastard myself if the girls didn't beat me to it." Yan Lin said with hatred for whoever hurt the redhead.

"I can't believe you're lying to me like this!" Will cried as she pulled away from the older woman to try and stand up but fell back into the older woman's arms as her legs felt so weak.

"Will, I'm not lying." Yan Lin said gently.

"Please stop this…" Will sniffed, "The only one who ever tried to help me before yesterday was Luba! She did something with the aurameres and the Heart…She made my mom love me again and…She changed everything…Everyone thinks I've been missing for two years…Luba had to have done this! Luba did this…Oh god, Luba is behind this, she really did this somehow, didn't she?"

"Will, sweetie, how do you know Luba?" Yan Lin asked gently though shock was evidently in her voice as she was beginning to realize something was most definitely off here. Of course she believed Will, no one could put on an act that well but something was wrong.

"She gave me the Heart and aurameres before telling me to go make a better…life…" Will whispered before realizing what she just said. She had told Yan Lin she still had her powers and all the aurameres which was worrying Will. The redhead didn't want to fight Yan Lin for it but if it came down to it and she was forced Will would do her best to make sure she kept the gift Luba had given to her.

"Will..If the Heart and aurameres all were taken from Candracar then there would be nothing holding it together." Yan Lin explained as Will looked at her blankly, "Will…without them Candracar would fall in on itself."

"Where is she?" A frantic, worried voice came from outside the door drawing both women's attention towards the door causing Will to shiver a little and Yan Lin to groan at hearing Caleb's meek voice answer alerting the occupants of the room he was still and had probably eavesdropped on the whole conversation.

"Will's in there with Yan Lin." Caleb's voice came, anger in it. "Why don't you leave, after everything you've done to her you don't deserve to see her!"

"Don't you dare accuse me of anything and don't you dare keep my baby away from me!" Susan said angrily frightening Will a little.

"Caleb, let her in." Yan Lin called knowing the boy would here her.

"Will, are you okay?" Susan cried rushing in to capture Will in a hug almost at the same time as Will tried to stand again, having a little more success this time.

"Y-Yeah, thanks mom." Will whispered to the older woman.

"I came as soon as Yan Lin called, I was so worried about you." Susan cried pushing Will away enough to look into Will's eyes, cupping her cheek tenderly.

"Yan Lin, should we allow her near Will?" Caleb asked with worry.

"Look at her Caleb, does that look like a mother who would hurt her mother?" Yan Lin asked as the two Vandom women separated Susan lending support to her daughter.

"What happened?" Susan asked.

"It's a long story but I think we should go to Candracar to get more answers." Yan Lin suggested.

"I thought you lost contact with them." Caleb snapped glaring at the older woman.

"I have but if Will really has the Heart." Yan Lin sighed.

"You aren't getting it." Will said, clutching at her chest protectively.

"Sweetie, I don't want the Heart but I want to teach you how to get to Candracar, how to f…" Yan Lin was saying before Will cut her off.

"I already know how to fold, you taught me." Will said, "But I'm not going…I don't want to make the Oracle any angrier than he is. He hasn't hit me yet but…Damn it…I'll go…I have to make sure Luba is okay."

"Okay then, Susan and Caleb can stay here." Yan Lin said gently looking at the boy and elder Vandom.

"I am not letting my daughter go without me, I've lost her for two years I am not willing to lose her for two more!" Susan said taking Will's hand squeezing it.

"I…I won't go without my mom." Will sighed, glancing up at her mother. She wasn't sure why but even the gentle hand squeeze seemed to make her feel safe and wanted though her mind fought the feeling. Her mind knew her heart was just being sentimental but she didn't want to listen to it at the moment as it felt too good.

"Okay, but Caleb will be staying here." Yan Lin said glaring at the boy daring him to protest.

"Okay, let's get this over with." Will said holding out her hand as the Heart slowly floated out of it as if it was melting out of her hand shocking everyone in the room.

"Will…How did you do that?" Yan Lin asked shakily.

"I was always able to do it." Will said as if it was normal, as to her it was, before slashing the air with the Heart tearing a rift in the air. Taking Susan's hand Will led then through the fold before it closed behind them.

"Wh-What happened?" Yan Lin asked in shock as they came out in an empty audience chamber. It looked as if it was mostly drained of it's pristine color and looked dark gray and almost as if it was some long lost ruins as the pillars all looked as if they were going to crumble at any minute.

"You chose a bad time for a visit, Yan Lin." The Oracle said startling them as the voice came from behind them causing them all to jump a bit. Will actually squeezed Susan's hand as she pressed a little closer to the older woman a little afraid of the man before them as he locked his strangely kind eyes on her.

"What happened?" Yan Lin asked again, worry in her voice.

"The Heart was destroyed when…When you died…Why are you in that form Wilhelmina?" The Oracle asked curiously.

"M-Mom?" A familiar voice though sounding oddly different called across the chamber drawing the gaping stared of everyone in the chamber as a young woman in white robes rushed across the chamber. She looked like she was in her early twenties as waist length red crimson hair trailed behind her before throwing herself at Susan sobbing loudly causing Susan to slowly embrace the oddly familiar woman. Looking over at Will Susan realized the woman in her arms could be Will's older sister or…an older version.

"H-How is this possible?" An angry voice hissed announcing Luba's entrance causing the younger redhead to capture the cat like woman in a tight hug before being roughly pushed back as the woman straightened out her robes. "Impudent brat, I swear you get worse everyday."

"Hey Whiskers, over here." A hoarse voice called from next to Susan causing Luba to snap her eyes from one redhead to the other.

NOTES

Well, another chappie done and only had to restart once this time. Hope everyone liked it.

Philip Gipson: Welcomies and thankies for liking the chappie and fight scene though I can't take full credit for it. It was hard trying to show not only what the power was doing to her but also how powerful she was because of it. No offense to anyone here but I really am truly sorry as I thought Chinese and Asian were pretty much the same, except Asian covered anyone from Asia which again I really am sorry. True, that is kind of weird but cool to know, thankies.


	12. Chapter 12

Looking up at the angry cat like woman, Will took a step back as she realized the angry look was meant for herself. Luba was angry with Will but the older woman had never been upset with Will before, did the Oracle do something to her? Why else did Luba push her away, the Oracle had punished Luba and the cat like woman blamed Will, probably hated the redhead now.

"How…How is this even possible?" The Oracle asked in shock, confusing Will as to why there was none of the usual anger in his voice he usually had when dealing with her. It didn't keep her from exploding though she knew she would be punished for it. Luba was the only person who was there for Will during some of the worst times in her life and the redhead wasn't going to let the bald bastard get away with hurting the woman.

"How dare you!" Will screamed in outrage, power radiating around her as an invisible wind whipped around her like a weak tornado though it didn't help the rest of the room as the storm started pushing them back from the violence of it.

"WILL!" Susan screamed, dropping down to the ground while pulling the other redhead with her. She wasn't sure what was going on, wasn't sure who this older redhead was though she caller Susan her mom before tackling her in a hug. Right now though that wasn't important, calming the younger redhead who started to float a few inches off the floor did.

"If you laid one finger on her cueball, if you hurt Luba I'll make you suffer!" Will cried, her tears being carried away by the gale of wind as Luba and the Oracle shielded themselves as best the could as the debris in the room started to be tossed around coming dangerously close to all of them.

"Will!" Yan Lin screamed, kneeling down next to Susan and the other redhead who was looking on in horror. "You will calm down this instant!"

"What's happening?" Susan cried out over the howling winds as they increased even more.

"I…I don't know!" Yan Lin cried out, unable to grasp what was happening as it should have been impossible.

"Will, please, your scaring me!" Susan sobbed, scared that something was seriously wrong with her daughter and it didn't look like there was anything she could do about it. She had to try though, she had lost Will for two years and she'd be damned if she was going to lose her again. Slowly she started to crawl toward the younger redhead, fighting back the intense wind and the few rocks that stuck her leaving gashes on her unprotected skin and tearing the clothes that were covering flesh.

"She hates me now…She HATES me and its YOUR fault!" Will screamed in rage pointing to the oracle as the power from the aurameres washed through her causing her to gasp in pain. She tried her best to ignore it as the power also felt good, caressing her soothingly tempting her to lash out at the man before her. To make him suffer as she has, to make him feel pain like he let happen to her despite having the ability to stop it. To destroy him for hurting her, for hurting Luba.

"What are you talking about brat?" Luba snarled, screaming over the wailing noise of the wind as if it was crying out in pain.

"Stop this, Will." Susan sobbed, finally reaching the floating girl and reaching up to take her hand. The young girl looked down at the woman holding her hand, all color drained from the redheads eyes as they were clouded with the power leaking there from the Heart, from the aurameres inside her making them appear a solid white.

Looking down in anger and hatred that the powers were only amplifying, Will saw a crying woman who had caused her years of pain. She wanted to strike out and bat the woman aside, smiling wickedly at the cuts and bruises on the woman and wanting to cause more. She wanted to make the woman scream in pain and beg for mercy just like Will had done many times.

"Will…Please…I love you, please stop this!" Susan sobbed pulling on Will's hand, the honesty in her voice and face causing Will's eyes to soften a little. "Please come back to me…Don't leave me again."

"M-Mom?" Will asked softly as the winds started to become a little calmer, her eyes starting to regain some of their color as the redhead looked down at the older woman who had granted the girl's most heartfelt wish, the woman who made Will's fondest dreams come true over the last two days.

"Yes honey, please calm down." Susan said gently reaching out and pulling the redhead down into her arms letting young girl cry her grief out into her sore shoulder while rocking the younger girl gently.

"That brat should be punished for what she did!" Luba growled angrily stomping toward the woman and daughter which didn't make much sense to the cat like woman as Susan's daughter was standing back looking on in shock with a tired looking Yan Lin.

"No, old friend, we need to figure out what is happening." The Oracle said putting his hand on the woman's shoulder stopping her advance on the shaking girl. "There is no way this young girl should have the powers of all the guardians as it felt she did…Did you not feel them?"

"Yes I felt them, she has the aurameres!" Luba snarled, flexing her fingers like claws angrily, "That should be impossible but she does! I-I smell them on her!"

"Calm down Morris, you know the aurameres are safe in their chamber." The older redhead said looking sadly at Susan and the younger redhead crying in those arms. She felt her heart drop as she feared she was losing her mother to this imposter but she couldn't deny the pain the girl was in. She couldn't blame her mother for trying to comfort the girl despite how much she herself wanted to be held by Susan instead of that girl.

"Who are you?" Yan Lin asked as she came up to the older redhead, studying her face.

"I'm Will, I…I was killed a couple years ago." Will sighed sadly, "I wanted to contact you but we couldn't spare the power after the Heart was destroyed."

"But she's Will and she has the Heart, she was fighting Cedric earlier and from what I understand kicked his scaly butt back to Meridian single handedly." Yan Lin said, reaching out to caress the older Will's cheek, this girl wouldn't be here if it wasn't Will because the Oracle would have known and she would have never been accepted to the council as an ex-guardian. When every guardian died they were given the chance to serve on the council as Halinor does now. "You are her though…Aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am but…Who is that? How could she have the Heart when I know for a fact it was destroyed?" Will sighed, running a hand through her long hair locks. She studied the girl and from what she could tell he looked like what she believed she would have looked like if she wasn't killed two years ago. When she died though she followed the Oracles suggestion to take on an older form to help her with the council as they wouldn't respect a child and her child form would only remind them constantly that she was one. She wasn't one any more though, she had paid her dues from the trauma of being brutally murdered to all the hard work she did here.

"Child, who are you?" The Oracle asked gently kneeling down on one side of Susan trying to get a look at the girl's face.

"You know who I am you bastard!" The younger redhead snarled as she tried to disappear in Susan's arms.

"Impudent whelp, don't you dare talk to the Oracle like that!" Luba snapped taking the space opposite the Oracle on the other side of Susan.

"I-I'm sorry." The girl whimpered while clinging to Susan's tattered blouse. Luba had the decency to look sheepish when Susan glared angrily at her.

"Honey, maybe you should answer their questions then we can go home." Susan said gently, stroking the girl's red hair.

"I'm Will Vandom." Will said softly, resting her head against Susan's breast as the woman cradled the girl's head as she realized the girl was exhausted and probably wouldn't last long before sleep claimed her.

"Child, may I please se the Heart?" The Oracle asked gently but the redhead shook her head no. whimpering a little.

"Brat, give me the heart!" Luba growled causing a shiver to run through Will as fear of the cat woman turning on her washed through her. Will weakly reached up her hand, palm upward as the center of her palm rippled like water before the Heart slowly began rising from it as if it was raising out of water until it was pulsating in time with her Heart before Luba reached out to take it just before the girl succumbed to the exhaustion dropping her hand.

"I-Is she okay?" The older redhead asked, worry lining her voice. She may have been unsure to what was going on or who the girl truly was but she wasn't heartless. It looked like the girl, whoever she was, had been through a lot. She was a little freaked out though by that whole Heart coming out of her hand as she was never able to do that herself. Truthfully, she didn't know if it was possible.

"She's just resting Wilhelmina." The Oracle said softly as Luba intently studied the Heart in her hands. Her eyes glazed over for several moments as she scanned the Heart comparing it with what she knew of the artifact and was shocked to find while being very close to their own it had several differences. The two most notable differences though was the message that she had made though she knew she never did create that.

The second was the fact that there was an entire set of all five aurameres residing in the Heart. That much power could kill someone if they transformed into a guardian as no one person was meant to be a channel that much power. It could potentially cause someone's heart to explode or their body to slowly be eaten away by the sheer, raw power the aurameres produced. That was what the Heart was for, well one of the reasons, it dampened the powers of each auramere to automatically match the safe levels for their guardian.

"What is it, Luba?" The Oracle asked as he noticed the shocked look on Luba's face.

"There is a message in the Heart." Luba explained, shaking her head confused as she stood up and started pacing back and forth before the group. "It's…It's from me but I never created such a thing."

"Can you access it?" The Oracle asked.

"Of course I can, its child's play to. I'm just not sure if it's a good idea, I can sense a lot of…Sadness and darkness from it." Luba sighed.

"We won't ever know if we don't try." Will said standing up herself and straightening her white robes. Susan watched her, fear in her heart that this young woman was really her daughter as she could see it in her eyes. Problem was, she was sure the girl in her arms was her daughter but it was impossible to have two daughters. One had to be an imposter but what kind of sicko would do that to her after missing her baby girl for two years?

"Please play the message, Luba." The Oracle said, getting up and moving behind the cat like woman and putting his hand on her shoulder while silently adding his support to his old friend.

"Okay, here's the message." Luba said shaking her head hoping they didn't regret this. They should have done this in private away from these interlopers but she would respect the Oracles wishes on this, on anything. She let the Heart flat up and out a little in front of her as she had activated the message hidden in the Heart. Slowly light flowed out from the Heart washing through the room. In it's wake they found themselves in the auramere's chamber though they could tell that it was actually just a hologram of it created by the power in the Heart and the wishes of the one who created it.

NOTES

Kkies, here's the first part of chappie twelve's rewrite, I hope everyone enjoyed it more than the original.

Philip Gipson: Thankies, I tried making it touching despite how hard it was for Will. I do agree with you about it being messed up but the alt reality Yan Lin was totally messed up like a lot of other people in the alt world. It was almost like a negative world though not everyone was different, and not to the point of being completely opposite of their counterparts. I agree with you completely that the parents should teach their children that as well as spending time with them. It's sad when parents can blame video games and television for things their kids do when it was those parents who spent more time complaining about them then being with their kids ensuring they aren't watching or playing anything they shouldn't be.

Saber Wolf: LOL, hope this chappie cleared it up a bit though I don't know if I did good enough job on it. It was very hard to write but hopefully it's pretty good.


	13. Chapter 13

**PLEASE REREAD CHAPTER 12 AS IT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REWRITTEN AND WILL NEED TO BE READ TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS CHAPPIE.**

A second Luba slowly started to appear, he image fading in and out a few times before stabilizing. Her image wasn't solid though, it was more transparent as if she was a ghost startling everyone in the room. No one was expecting this, least of all Luba herself as she stared open mouthed at the almost exact replica of her. The biggest difference was that instead of the indifference or angry visage that was usually the solid Luba's expression this see through copy of her had a sad smile as she looked out across the room.

"If you are seeing this then either I've failed and you, old friend, are looking at this or I've succeeded and my counterpart is seeing this as I have sent Will to a different reality where she will be wanted and loved. If you are Himmerish then, I am sorry if you feel that I have betrayed you but I haven't. You have betrayed yourself years ago when you refused to move on after our baby girl's death."

The Oracle and Luba both looked on in shock, there faces coloring a little as they glanced at each other. They still deeply cared for one another but as Luba had said all that time ago his station as Oracle didn't leave him and room for a relationship of any kind.

"I will always love you but…I can't forgive you for what you have done to Will. Yes, she reminds me of our daughter but I am not trying to replace her. Your jealousy led you from the path you were meant to follow and I have tried many times to help you back but your growing hatred for the one who you believed threatened your memories of little Aerith have left you impossible to deal with and unworthy of being Oracle."

"Wh-What is going on?" The Oracle asked Luba who had tears forming in her eyes. The elder Will startled the cat like woman when she came behind her and wrapped an arm around her pulling her close.

"I…I don't know." Luba choked out as she knew what the see through copy of herself had meant about the redhead reminding her of Aerith. Will could almost be an exact duplicate of her daughter with a few cat like features as well as sharing near the same personality. If it was possible Luba would believe that the girl was the reincarnation of little Aerith but that was impossible. Luba could have been closer to the redhead butt didn't want to be reminded of Aerith constantly which the redhead unwittingly helped by constantly pissing the cat woman off to no end.

"If this is my counterpart then I want to ask you to take good care of this girl I've sacrificed myself to save. If you are worried about Candracar being destroyed without the Heart and aurameres you are right that as soon as I send Will away the fortress will destroy itself as it will no longer be able to hold itself together. Please do not feel bad though as this Candracar doesn't deserve being saved. When people refuse to help a child who is being…I would say abused but tortured would actually fit the bill more as her mother made her life a living hell."

Susan stared down at the sleeping girl in shock, she still wasn't completely sure what was going on but if she understood everything then this redhead wasn't her daughter. She was the daughter of a woman who was her in another world, kind of like that Sliders show Will used to watch, that her Will used to watch on sci-fi. That meant that her daughter was really dead…Though she was in front of her standing with the cat woman. Susan had a feeling that her daughter wouldn't come home either, that she couldn't.

What was she supposed to do with the girl in her arms though? If she came from a world that her mother was a monster then she couldn't send the redhead back. The girl wasn't her Will though, she was the daughter of an alternate her…Which she supposed in a way made the girl her baby but…She wasn't. Susan leaned her head down as she ran her fingers in the child's red hair as tears formed in her eyes as she realized she had lost her daughter but she had one here in her arms that she didn't have a choice, she had to protect her but she didn't want to betray her Will. Yet, she had gotten to know this Will and while being scared she was still the same as her Will.

Sighing as her head began to throb from trying to sort this out, her thoughts pretty much a jumble trying to figure out who was who when she realized something very disturbing to her. She had hurt this girl, she had tormented this girl for who knew how long. Sure it was another her in a different reality but it was still her. Did that mean that she herself had the capacity to repeat that? She was truthfully afraid of the answer.

"Please, make sure Will has a chance to find happiness as she deserves it after leading to guardians who ridiculed and beat her to victory over Phobos. She was the one responsible for freeing Meridian and how does the Oracle and the council repay her? They watched THIS while refusing to help her, they watched THIS and laughed at her pleas for help. The only reason I'm even including this is to show you proof that I am not exaggerating and she has good reasons to fear people. I do ask that you don't show it to anyone else as I don't think Will would like everyone knowing exactly what she has been through."

Another surge of light washed over the room changing the scene yet again to what Susan recognized as their living room. Only it wasn't, the furniture had rips and stains on the couch and the coffee table's leg was broke so it was propped up on what looked like old telephone books. On the small table where Susan kept her cordless phone and fax machine was an older style rotary phone with the plastic dialing ring broken in places.

Three people slowly faded into view much like Luba's counterpart had as she disappeared this time. First stood Susan wearing a baggy black t-shirt and blue sweatpants and her hair was a mess. Next came Dean whose tie was loosened and just hanging around his neck as the top few buttons were left open. He was wearing black dress slacks with a black leather belt. Finally came Will who had a frightened look on her face and was wearing a ratty torn up t-shirt and nearly worn out blue jeans that looked like they were to small on her.

Susan was holding what looked like a partially full beer bottle in one hand and a piece of paper in the other while standing in front of Will with an angry scowl on her face. Will looked like she was shaking a little but the real Susan didn't like what things looked like as she unconsciously squeezed the unconscious redhead in her arms protectively.

"I can't believe this you little piece of shit." The transparent Susan slurred, "I swear you are the stupidest idiot I have ever known. God, you only made a seventy five! God…You are such a stupid idiot."

Dean smiled as the transparent Susan nodded at him with a smile, throwing the paper at Will just before the man lashed out and backhanded the redhead hard knocking her to the ground as the now obviously drunken Susan laughed.

"Take the little whore to her room." Susan grumbled before falling back on the couch, taking a long swig of the bottle. Dean smiled as he reached down and took a handful of Will's hair as she sobbed and yanked hard causing her to scream out in pain as he drug her to her feet.

The real Susan couldn't help choking a little as she was sobbing watching this. The older Will had come back over to them and was sitting next to Susan holding both the older woman and the smaller redhead as she refused to watch anymore. Susan wasn't sure how much more of this sick display she could watch. Those bastards in the other world knew this was going on and didn't lift a finger to help her?

Dean was dragging her down the hallway by the hair towards Will's room and purposely missed the doorway as he shoved the redhead roughly into the doorframe causing another cry of pain as she begged him not to hurt her repeatedly. When he shoved her into the room before picking her up roughly and throwing her down on her back in the bed.

The real Susan thought she was going to be sick as he climbed on top of her and started yanking her shirt until it finally gave way to him as he literally tore it from her body. He reached down next and tore her bra off of her while sneering down at her.

"You are nothing but a worthless whore." Dean sneered as Will sobbed, begging him to stop as she tried to cover herself with her arms. He slapped her hard across the face before roughly forcing her to look up at him. "You are just like your mother, aren't you? A worthless little whore?"

The real Susan couldn't take anymore as she squeezed her eyes shut sobbing as she heard the girl's unheard screams as they grew louder as the smacking sound changed from what sounded like skin on skin to what she was sure was his belt striking her repeatedly as Will screamed out, begging for her mother to save her.

"Oh god, Will…" Susan sobbed while holding the small girl, refusing to let go as she swore that even if this girl wasn't the daughter she gave birth to she would make the redhead her daughter and protect her. She would never let Will suffer like this again, she would protect this child with her life.

"Will you please stop this!" Susan heard the older Will cry. She reached out to where she felt the girl and pulled her into the embrace pulling her face into her shoulder while stroking her hair. She shouldn't be seeing this, no one should.

"I…I can't!" Luba voice choked, her voice giving away that she was crying as well.

"This is barbaric." The Oracle growled, for once letting his emotions rule him after so long of trying to suppress them as they got in the way of doing his duty.

"Oh god…I was praying that she was exaggerating or anything but this." Yan Lin croaked.

Finally after what seemed like forever the screams and sobs of the redhead finally died out and Susan slowly cracked her eyes open to se if it was over. Thankfully the scene had shifted back to the chamber with the transparent Luba who was sobbing, holding her mouth in horror as she shook her head.

"I…I don't think I will ever be able to sleep again if I survive but I deserve to die after letting the Oracle stop me from helping Will sooner." The transparent Luba said, rubbing her eyes. "Now that you know that what she may have told you is real, and this is no isolated incident, I beg you to help her as much as you can Luba. Help her find happiness…Plea…"

The light flickered a few times before the Heart fell back into Luba's hand, the chamber reverting back to the one the arrived in and the se through Luba disappearing as well.

"You saw all of that?" The smaller Will asked hoarsely, shaking as tears was streaming down her face.

"Oh god, honey, I won't ever let anyone else hurt you." Susan cried, leaning down to kiss the girl's forehead.

"And I'll be keeping an eye on you from up here sis, and if anyone as much thinks about laying one finger on you I swear I'll kill them!" The elder Will cried stroking the smaller redhead.

NOTES

The scene changes, if anyone wants a visual, is the same as the scene change in Final Fantasy X2 during the concert near the end of the game during the song A Thousand Words. Also I would like to thank Aesop for his review which helped me to decide that chappie twelve needed a major rewrite and hope everyone likes the changes made.

Riot: Actually Will didn't really understand Luba's plan as she never had a chance to explain it to Will. As for Aerith, yep I did get the name from FF7 but that's the only similarity. The only part Aerith will play in the story is being the driving force behind both sets of Oracle and Luba and this story won't have anything to do with FF7 or any other series as this will strictly be a Witch story. Thankies and there will not only be differences between some more people but their powers as well.

Philip Gipson: Yep and thankies though I went back and rewrote it which I hope you enjoyed the changes. It was very emotional and I think I pretty much kept that in tact with the rewrite. As for more chappies, this story is long from over as Phobos is still free here and he will be getting new allies soon.

Saber Wolf: That's good and thankies for liking it and I hope you like the rewrite. His reactions will be getting shown soon and I hope you enjoy it.

Bluenotes: Sorries, usually my friend checks it over but hasn't been able to for the last week for the most part. I will try to work harder on checking my grammar to so thankies.

Wiseguy: Thankies and I'm sure I can work that scene in for you sometime in the near future.


	14. Chapter 14

To say what the younger Will just learned as being a shock would be an understatement as it meant that she really wasn't this woman's daughter. The last two days were nothing but a lie and if there was even the slightest chance of this Susan wanting anything to do with her was blown when the older woman had watched first hand what kind of trash she was holding in her arms.

"You saw all of that?" Will asked, shaking a little scared of what the woman's reaction was going to be. Whatever her reaction was or what the others thought the small redhead was silently praying to not be sent back there. She'd live on the streets here if they gave her a chance, she'd much rather be homeless than a punching bag and toy.

"Oh god, honey, I won't ever let anyone else hurt you." Susan said softly yet with conviction as she bent forward and kissed the smaller redhead on the forehead.

"And I'll be keeping an eye on you from up here sis, and if anyone as much thinks about laying one finger on you I swear I'll kill them!" The elder looking redhead cried, reaching over to stroke the smaller redhead's hair.

The ground rumbled for a few moments startling the three though the elder redhead seemed not to be as startled as the other two but the worry was evident in her eyes. The younger redhead didn't even think that earthquakes could even be possible up here in a floating fortress.

"The aurameres are growing weaker." Luba growled in agitation as she studied the Heart of Candracar that the younger redhead had brought with her. It held the answers to saving their Candracar here as there was no hope for their counterpart in the reality Will had come from. She could take the Heart right now if the younger redhead wanted or not and bind it to this plane and merge the two sets of aurameres. It would be so easy to ignore the shaking girl's presence who was nothing but trouble if she was anything like the Will the cat like woman had come to know.

"Will," Luba said softly, sighing as she wouldn't do that. It wouldn't be right to take something that by all rights belonged to the redhead as the alternate Luba had given the Heart and aurameres to her. "Candracar is becoming very unstable and if something isn't done soon it will consume itself as it won't be able to sustain itself any longer."

"Wh-What do you want me to do about it?" The younger Will asked hoarsely while turning to look up at the cat like lady.

"Let me bind the Heart to this plane and then merge the aurameres so they will restore Candracar to its former glory." Luba said, smiling at the redhead though it was strained as it was something she wasn't really too used to doing.

"Will…Will you have the power to send me back if you do?" Will asked softly, choking a little as she stared up at the shocked face of the cat woman.

"N-No…Why would you want to? Luba asked, stunned by the question. After seeing what they all just had it was inconceivable to even think the girl would want to return there. "Well…I suppose it would be possible once Phobos is defeated and the veil is removed."

"I…I don't want to go back." Will said hugging herself as she pulled away from Susan, "I'll go live on the streets before I willingly go back. If it means I can't go back then I don't care what you do to the Heart."

"You aren't going back if I have anything to say about it." The elder Will said with conviction, the strength in her eyes making the younger girl relax a little. The smaller redhead tried to get up but stumbled a little as she felt really weak still but the older girl caught her and helped her to her feet lending support as Luba smiled sadly at them before hurrying from the chamber..

"Will…I love both of you and I refuse to give either of you up!" Susan said as she climbed to her feet as well before hugging both redheads.

"Susan, may I please speak with you over here?" The Oracle asked gently while indicating a space near the center of the chamber where it looked like there was a small pool or fountain of water but it was only a couple feet wide and was completely even with the ground.

"I guess." Susan sighed before walking toward the bald man with the strange tattoos and joined him near the middle of the room.

"Come on, kiddo, let's sit over here on the benches." The older Will said helping the younger one walk over to the benches, almost like bleachers surrounding the entire perimeter of the room and lowered the girl to sit on one before joining her. It was much better than sitting on the ground in the older girl's opinion.

"What's going to happen to me?" The younger redhead asked while fearing what the girl was going to say. She knew that Susan wouldn't want her now that the woman had her real daughter back. Why would she want someone like the younger girl anyways?

"What do you mean, you will be going back with our mom." The older girl said as if it was common knowledge.

"She won't want me." The younger girl sighed, hugging herself and leaning forward. "Why would she when she has you? You…You're everything I'm not. Beautiful, smart and wanted."

"You are too." The elder Will said reaching over to give the younger redhead's knee a reassuring squeeze.

"No, I'm not." The younger girl choked, "You…You saw that…What I am…I'm nothing, a worthless piece of trash…"

"Don't you dare say that again." The older Will said sternly while pulling the younger girl into an embrace, "The only trash I seen was that piece of shit that hurt you!"

"What the hell do you mean I can't take my daughter with me?" Susan's voice nearly screamed from where the two was over talking near the center of the chamber.

"Calm down, Susan." Yan Lin's voice came next, the eldest woman in the room obviously joining the conversation going on in the middle of the room.

"See…They don't want me to go back with Susan, they don't want me here." The younger Will choked out, forgetting what Luba said about not being able to send her back to her world.

"Oh kiddo, don't do this to yourself. Give them time to explain what the sitch is and I promise everything will be okay. Okay?" The elder Will said, shaking her head at this girl sadly. There was so much of the older girl in the younger girl without a doubt but because of the trauma she had to endure the younger Will's insecurities and fears were entirely worse than the older girl's.

"Calm down? Like hell I will, I am not leaving either of my two daughters here!" Susan snarled angrily. The elder redhead sighed as she realized Susan was just now realizing that there was no going back for the older of the two Wills. She had made her choices and mistakes and now she had to live with them but unfortunately so did her mother and new sister.

"T-Two?" The younger girl gulped, hoping that what she just said was true though she knew she didn't deserve it and doubted it would last.

"Yes two, you are her daughter just as much as I am but I can't go back." The elder redhead sighed sadly, as the younger girl pulled away. "You will be though and like I said I will be keeping an eye out on you from up here. I'll be keeping an eye out on both of you."

"Will, is this true?" Susan asked, tears sting her eyes as she marched over to the two redheads and kneeled down before them while looking up into the elder girl's eyes. "It can't be…I just got you back."

"Mom…I'm sorry but I can't but I'm not going anywhere." The elder redhead sighed. She hated crushing her mother's hopes like this, it was hurting her just as much as the older woman.

"Susan, do not worry because you are free to come here anytime to visit your daughter on the condition that no one else learns the truth besides Dean himself." The Oracle said handing a ring out to Susan. The dark haired woman shakily reached up and took the ring studying its arcane looking features. "Now that Candracar will be restored to full power so will all of its treasures. This is a fold ring, you can use it any time you want to come here and visit your daughter."

"Y-You mean it?" Susan asked tears streaking down her face.

"Susan…I think it would be a good idea to hide this from the girls as well." Yan Lin said softly looking at the younger Will, "I think you should stick with what your mother believed that you were a prisoner of Phobos."

"Wh-Why?" The younger girl asked in confusion.

"Because for now it would be easier on everyone." The elder Will sighed, "I saw Cornelia right after I died before we lost too much power and the scrying pools became useless. She…She blamed herself for my stupidity and tried to kill herself."

"I doubt it, Cornelia would be dancing for joy if I was dead." The younger girl sniffed, "She…She was the one who got the others to turn against me and…She was the one who talked them into beating the hell out of me."

"Kiddo, that was your worlds version of the girls." The elder redhead said taking the younger girl's hand. "The girls here will be your best friends if you let them, they really care."

The younger girl was about to say something when she felt a wash of power surge through her before the room seemed to brighten. Its color seemed to return reminding Will of how she remembered Candracar instead of the dull colors the place was when she arrived here. The damage was still there though as there was rocks and debris spread throughout the chamber.

"It is done." A tired looking Luba announced as she walked into the room carrying the Heart dangling from its chain. Walking over she held the Heart out to the younger girl who reluctantly reached out to take it. As soon as she did though a feeling of peace washed over her as strength flooded through her body restoring her strength. "Thank you child, you saved many people today."

"But…But I didn't…I never did anything." The younger girl said, shock washing through herself.

"Yes you did, you provided the methods of restoring Candracar's strength. If the veil failed with Phobos still free he could have killed hundreds…Thousands of people from other worlds including Earth."

"You did a great thing today child." The Oracle said with a smile, "And Candracar owes you a debt of gratitude. If you ever need anything do not be afraid to ask."

"All I want is my mother to want me…To love me." The younger girl said as tears started to form in her eyes as Susan got up and sat down on the bench next to the girl pulling her into a hug.

"I do want you, I love you honey and I always will." Susan cried while stroking the redhead's hair.

"You aren't my mother though, you're her mother so why would you want me? Why would you want trash when you can have…" The girl cried as Susan pushed her to arms length and placed two fingers on her lips silencing her.

"You are not trash and you are MY daughter. Nothing will change that and I will go through hell itself to protect you." Susan said while looking her eyes with the young redhead's. "I love you with all my heart."

"And so do I little sister." The elder Will said hugging the smaller redhead from behind, "Just give us a chance, give the girls a chance to and you will se you are wanted and loved. Can you do that little sister?"

"I-I'll try." The younger girl sniffed.

"Its time we should get back, I'm sorry." Yan Lin said breaking them up as she bowed to them slightly in apology.

"Love you sis, mom." The elder redhead said wiping her eyes.

"I love you to." Susan said as The Oracle created a fold back to the Silver Dragon. Susan hugged the elder Will tightly before turning to the fold. "Are you ready honey?"

"Y-Yeah…" The younger red head before starting to move toward the fold but at he last second turned around to throw her arms around the older girl and whispering in her ear, "Thank you, I'll try my best to make you proud."

"I know you will, sis." The elder redhead whispered back, "I love you."

"I…I love you to sis." The younger girl whispered back before pulling back to hurry through the fold followed closely by a sadly smiling Susan who looked back wistfully at the older redhead before walking through.

"I'll see you later, Will." Yan Lin said, sniffing a little before hurrying through the portal as well before it closed behind the elder woman.

"I am proud of you, child." Luba said as she walked behind the redhead and reached out to squeeze her shoulder comfortingly. Will took a deep breath as she wiped her eyes before turning to smirk at the cat like lady. "It looks like you are growing up."

"Thanks Garfield, that means a lot to me." Will said smiling mischievously.

"Impudent brat, when someone offers you a compliment keep that mouth shut so you don't prove them wrong." Luba growled angrily as Will stuck her tongue out at the woman as The Oracle chuckled off to the side. "Maybe I was wrong, you haven't grown up one bit brat!"

"Well, maybe I don't want to ." Will said with a smirk before walking away from them but as she left the chamber she leaned back against the wall hugging herself and leaning her head back against the wall as tears started falling. She couldn't believe that there was a woman and man out there that were counterparts to her mother and the man she had actually started seeing as a possible father figure before she died were monsters who could hurt her counterpart as they did. What kind of monsters could do that?

Luba watched as the girl leave and couldn't help sticking her tongue out at the back of the retreating girl as The Oracle, as Himmerish pulled her into an embrace from behind.

"You know, she really does remind me of Aerith." Himmerish said softly into the cat woman's ear sending a shiver through her body. "Maybe…She could be our little girl reborn."

"Maybe…I am proud of her either way. It had to be hard on her to watch her mother leave and even harder seeing those…Those images." Luba said, as tears started forming in her own eyes.

"If I wasn't sure of that other Candracar's fall I'd tear down the walls to that reality to get to it and destroy it myself." Himmerish said in a tone that Luba knew meant business.

NOTES

EDITED NOTES

Wow, the first update since I decided to post an Update Schedule and it is a day late. I was home about half an hour last night to check my e-mail which I got a wonderful surprise in a sneak peak at one of my two favorite stories on and I can't wait until the final editions are posted. If you haven't checked it out yet, read War for Meridian's Throne by XV-Dragon as it so totally rocks. I had trouble getting everything done after that though as I ended up having to help my friend after she looked over this. She said that she would help me on the next one reading it aloud to me as Aesop suggested. I got home and tried to post this and when it wouldn't let me I went to bed to try and get some sleep. Well, anyways, enough rambling just wanted to thank everyone for your support and help on this story and everyone who read it as well.

Thankies everyone for reading and reviewing, just a few more reviews to reach a hundred, wohoo!

Saber Wolf: Thankies and it most likely will be similar, hope you enjoyed the update.

Philip Gipson: Thankies, I'm glad everyone seemed to like the rewrite better. It gave proof that Will wasn't exaggerating things and may have even been understating them. Thankies, I wanted a good reason behind the reactions to both Luba and the Oracle and I always thought there could have been a chance for both of them developing felings for each other as both their jobs are very difficult. Hope you liked this update.

Aesop: Thankies, I tried making it a lot better and slow the pace down some but as I said before I really suck at pacing. I truly am trying my best with this story and I really, really appreciate your advice. I love getting advice as it helps improve my writing. I will be trying having it read aloud to me and see if that helps, thankies so much for the tip and I hope that the fight wasn't that bad.


	15. Chapter 15

Will stumbled out of the fold into the center of Hay Lin's bedroom where they had left earlier but now it had a small difference, five actually. Elyon, Hay Lin, Taranee, Cornelia and Irma were scattered through the room looking on in shock as Susan came out behind her then finally followed by Yan Lin.

"W-Will!" Cornelia cried as she threw herself at the redhead, throwing her arms around Will. She couldn't believe it but Hay Lin was right and the redhead was alive. Irma had even supported the story with her father's story of running into their leader and missing friend though the blonde refused to believe it until seeing it for herself despite wanting to.

She had never given up hope after they had got Elyon back showing that anything was possible despite many saying the girl had to be dead after so long. When the redhead came up missing though there was so much speculation but the blonde knew that whatever the truth behind whatever happened that it was in fact her fault. She had treated Will like crap after Elyon was taken, even before that as she treated her bad when they first met and even going as far as wishing that they had never met. At her darkest moment Cornelia had even silently wished the redhead was dead but had instantly regretted that little brain fart. It hurt so much when Will went missing as Cornelia had constantly blamed that momentary lapse in caring as she was sure her wish had come true.

The depression that Cornelia's constant guilt caused her a lot of problems with everyone around her during that time. Her parents had kept trying to console her which she didn't want any part of as she knew it was her fault. Caleb wasn't much help in urging her to move on and her friends didn't even help telling her that it wasn't her fault. It wasn't until she had slit her wrist and almost bled to death that she realized how much she as hurting those around her just as much as she was hurting. She still never forgave herself but she had tried to move on for their sake but she never forgot the redhead or gave up hope that she would some day come back which was what Elyon's return had proven possible.

"Please don't hurt me." Will whimpered while shaking in fear causing Cornelia's jaw to hang open while backing away while Susan hugged the girl from behind.

"Will, please remember that these girls aren't the one who hurt you." Susan whispered so only the redhead could hear, "They won't hurt you and I won't let them, I'm here if you want to stay and talk to them."

"What happened to you Susan?" Taranee gasped in shock noticing the damage to Susan's clothes as well as the few cuts on the elder woman's face and arms.

"It was nothing, Taranee, just a little accident but we're okay." Susan said with a small smile.

"Grand mother, wh-where did you come from?" Hay Lin gasped in surprise as Elyon eyed the new arrivals suspiciously.

"That was a fold, but how?" Elyon asked, realizing what it was as Phobos had done something several times right before she realized he was siphoning her powers to increase his. He had developed a type of fold for moving quickly around Meridian which was based off teletransporting and folding which was what Cedric had explained to her.

"We were in Candracar." Hay Lin said.

"Does that mean we get to finally meet this Oracle?" Irma asked as she got up to go to Will but stopped after seeing her reaction to Cornelia. A quick glance to Taranee proved that the darker skinned girl was just as confused and worried as Irma was. She didn't want to freak the redhead out anymore so thought it better to leave mother comfort daughter.

"Not yet, I'm afraid." Hay Lin said as she sighed, she should never had told them all about Candracar and its council but she had done what she thought was best when Will disappeared and she had lost her powers including Teletransporting and Folding that she was given as delegate of the Heart, it's temporary keeper. "Candracar is having some really bad troubles right now but perhaps soon."

"I-I'm sorry." Will said softly, her voice filled with nervousness as she looked up at the girls. She promised her older counterparty that she would give them a chance and decided that maybe she should stick to the Phobos kidnapping story. She didn't want to upset them if they really cared by telling them what their counterparts had done. "I…I've been through a lot…I just need a little time."

"What happened to you?" Cornelia asked, relieved to see the redhead alive though very worried about her. What had happened to her to cause such a reaction like that?

"I…I don't know…I remember being…I was hurt really badly. Phobos, he kidnapped me and I…I can't talk about it." Will said, coking a little as tears threatened to fall. The recent images of what Dean did to her was still fresh in her mind, the pain he caused and her pleas for her mother's help who didn't even care.

"Oh honey." Susan said squeezing her a little though being careful of hurting her.

"I'll kill him if I ever get my hands on him!" Elyon snarled angrily as a gust of wind started blowing through the room. Everyone immediately looked over at the growling to se Hay Lin a few inches off the floor floating though it wasn't like Will had done as it wasn't all the powers together.

"Hay Lin!" Taranee gasped, "You have your powers back!"

"Wh-What?" Hay Lin gasped in shock before realizing what she was doing causing a small blush to form in embarrassment. She closed her eyes while concentrating on calming down slowly making the wind to stop as she floated back to the ground. "I…I never felt like that before…I felt so strong."

"The aurameres were drained because of sustaining the veil and Candracar but since Will is back they…They were restored." Yan Lin said, "You all should be getting back to normal."

"That wasn't normal, grandmother!" Hay Lin exclaimed while staring at her hands. She had never felt that exhilarated by her powers before, they seemed so much stronger and a little more…Wild.

"I'm sorry girls but after everything that has happened I think Will needs to get home and get some rest." Susan said gently, kissing the top Will's head. She was worried about the girl as she still seemed so scared even though she knew the redhead now knew they wouldn't hurt her. After what she had seen though she knew the redhead had been through a lot and it would probably take more than words to get her to accept it. Susan didn't even think she could survive constant abuse like what she saw on Candracar in that horrific message from that alternate reality.

"You know we're here for you, right?" Cornelia asked sadly reaching out toward Will but stopped as she realized how frightened the redhead was of her. She felt the sting of tears start forming in her eyes before Will pulled away from Susan and nervously hugged the blond gingerly. Cornelia felt the redhead wince in pain as she wrapped her arms around Will but the redhead didn't fight it but the blonde loosened her embrace.

"I…I know Cornelia, thank you." Will whispered, a little afraid. The other girls quickly converged on them making it a group hug which made Cornelia worry even more as Will started shaking really bad before Susan extracted the redhead from the hug which Cornelia noticed the redhead was extremely thankful for.

"You know, you two can stay for dinner on the house." Yan Lin said hopefully, smiling at Susan.

"Will?" Susan asked softly, "You feel up to hanging out here for awhile?"

"Can we…Can we please go home?" Will asked, Cornelia noticed the redhead's voice was a little shaky as her eyes darted from one girl to another with fear in them. It was as if she was looking for an attack from any one of them at any time. What the hell happened to her?

"Sure honey." Susan said taking the redhead's hand and squeezed it lovingly causing Will to sigh in relief. "Thanks anyways Yan Lin."

Cornelia watched sadly as mother and daughter left the room while Will kept looking nervously over her shoulder. There was more to what happened than they told but Cornelia had no idea what. She did know that Will was back and she was happy for that and hoped that she would be okay though by her actions it looked like she was hurt very badly, both physical and emotional.

WITCH

"Are you okay?" Susan asked softly after they got into the car before she even bothered starting the engine. She knew that the younger redhead was hurting inside and who could blame her? After everything that she had been through it was a wonder that Will was still even alive.

"I…I really don't know." Will sighed as she leaned against the door hugging herself. "I…I can't say what I'm feeling right now. God, I don't know what to feel."

"Want to talk about it?" Susan asked gently while reaching over to rub the girl's arm gently.

"And make you think I'm a piece of trash if you don't already?" Will sighed with self loathing. She never wanted to admit it but what her mother thought of her had always meant something to her. She tried so hard to make Susan happy and proud of her only to be abused over it. To be used as a toy by Dean while Susan sat back and drank more alcohol and laugh as she begged for help. She hated the woman so much and yet she loved her. What was wrong with her?

"Will, you aren't trash." Susan said, tears stinging her eyes as she pulled the girl into a hug. Susan was surprised at the girl thinking that way but in a way she wasn't as what the girl had been through had to have been brutal. Her birth mother must have constantly put the redhead down and then to be given to some bastard to be hurt in that way? Susan was disgusted with herself for it happening though she knew she didn't do it she couldn't help thinking that it was her in some way.

"That's what Will said but…I want to believe it but…God, you and Dean both told me I was…Cornelia said I was worthless, everyone I was ever close to…" Will cried, breaking down in sobs.

"Will, I love you and will always be here for you…I will never let anyone hurt you." Susan cried, stroking the girl's hair. She knew she said it before but she knew the girl needed reassurance and words may not convince her but they would help at least.

"I…I know that now but…I know it in my head not my heart. I just…I just can't forget everything." Will sniffed as she buried herself in Susan's arms.

"Will…I know I didn't give birth to you but that doesn't change anything, you are MY daughter. I love you and I truly would so anything for you." Susan said as sincerely as she could as she meant every word. This girl in her arms was just as important to her as her Will was, in a way they were the same girl but that also bothered Susan. If the two Wills were basically the same person did that mean the she herself was the same as that bitch who dared hurt this redhead? She wasn't sure what to think about that but it scared her deeply. If things went differently would she really have had hurt her Will as badly as her counterpart hurt this one?

NOTES

Wow, another of my stories reaching the 100 mark in reviews and even more. I don't think I'll ever be rewriting this story except for the occasional chappie that may end up not being very well. However, I am thinking very seriously on rewriting Never a Normal Life as there is so much more that could have and should have happened in it but I didn't pace it very well. Actually, that's what this story was originally for, it was meant to be practice on pacing and I think I'm getting a little better at it though still not an expert on it. Please let me know what you think about a rewrite for Never a Normal life, thankies. I just think it could be so much better than it s in all truth.

Saber Wolf: Wow, thankies so much! I wasn't sure I'd ever reach a hundred reviews when I started this story as I was a little worried about the plot being a little strange or cliché. Now that is a very good question and a very good idea, thankies.

Philip Gipson: Welcomies, I'm really glad that you are liking it. I'm so glad the rewrite went over so well and that you liked the whole Will meets Will thing. The younger one does and will have some bad self esteem issues but as you said she did save Candracar as well as so many lives because of that. She should be able to though it will be a little hard at first. I'll have to check out that story, sounds very interesting and yep I do watch Avatar as it's quickly becoming one of my favorites though it will never beat Witch in that regards, LOL.


	16. Chapter 16

"Hey honey." Susan said softly as she slowly pushed the door open startling Will who was half asleep. Looking up at the woman caused a shiver to run through the redhead's back as the look on the woman's face scared her for some reason. There wasn't any hate there but there was something else she couldn't place, something that scared the hell out of her. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Will yawned sitting up in bed and shuddered as she saw out the door at who was behind Susan. Dean was standing there and he looked rather intimidating but there wasn't any of the anger on his face that was usually there.

"Hey Will, how are you feeling?" Dean asked moving to sir down on the edge of the bed as she scooted away from him a little before he gently grabbed her leg through the blanket. "Come on, Will, don't act like that I'm not going to hurt you."

"Wh-What do you want then?" Will whimpered as the fear grew even more at the way he was rubbing her leg through the blanket. Dean had never done that, at least her Dean had never done that as he always just tore them away from her and by the looks of the room she was still in her new home. Still, what this Dean was doing was making her very uncomfortable.

"Don't worry, honey." Susan said smiling as she sat down next to Dean, smiling at him lovingly. "Dean won't hurt you…He promised me. He's going to be very gentle with you."

"Wh-What?" Will asked as tears stung her eyes as she looked at the two in horror as Dean moved to push her back into the bed. She tried to push him off her but he was too heavy and too strong and Susan was only sitting there with a weird smile watching this happen. Closing her eyes she cried out as she felt Dean shaking her shoulders, tears leaking from her eyes.

"Will…Damn it, open your eyes!" Susan cried, breaking through Will's fear causing the redhead to open her eyes and look up into the teary eyes of Susan shaking her shoulders. Dean wasn't anywhere in sight but he was there, he was just there.

"YOU LIAR!" Will sobbed pushing the woman back away from her and hugging herself tightly ignoring the pain it caused. She couldn't believe she had actually started to trust this woman a little bit only for this to happen. "You lied to me!"

"Will, you were having a nightmare." Susan sobbed causing Will to look up at the devastated face on the woman. "What happened?"

"Y-You were…You were going to let Dean…You…" Will sobbed unable to get it out as she actually began to realize that it must have been a dream as it was light outside in the dream which actually didn't make sense to her because it was dark when she laid down and it was still dark. The only light coming through the window was that of a street light.

"Honey, if anyone ever touched you like that I'd kill them!" Susan said sternly but with love in her voice, a protectiveness that made Will feel good. She could tell the woman was telling the truth but still she could only tell that to her mind. Her heart was torn in two, half trusted the woman and wanted to soak up the love this woman seemed to offer unconditionally. The other half, it knew better and knew it was only a matter of time before this woman, this world betrayed her like her old world.

Would it really be betrayal though? That was a thought she couldn't help having as sometimes she felt she deserved everything that happened. Everything they told her in her old world was true to some extent at the least. She was stupid, beyond stupid actually and a piece of trash and probably didn't deserve this woman in front of her. All the redhead did was screw everything up and it was frankly a miracle that they were able to stop Phobos with her involved.

"Will…please…I love you and would never hurt you." Susan cried pulling Will into her arms where the redhead actually relaxed this time.

"I'm sorry." Will whispered as she fought back her own tears.

"Shhh…Don't be sorry, honey…This isn't your fault." Susan cried as she stroked Will's hair gently. "This…God this is my fault…I can't believe I'd hurt you like this in your world."

"It wasn't you." Will gasped pulling away to look into Susan's broken eyes. Susan was really blaming herself for what happened to the redhead and actually was hurting over it but why?

"In a way it was." Susan said, rubbing her eyes, "It was me…If…God if things went differently here…"

"NO!" Will said flatly, "You are nothing like her! God…You've done more for me in a couple days that I remember her doing since…Since dad left…"

"Oh honey." Susan sniffed caressing Will's face gently, "You have no idea what you mean to me."

Will was afraid of the answer to that though, afraid to what she did mean to this woman. Was she just a replacement that Susan was going to get tired of when she realized that she wasn't her Will? Will knew the answer and yet again it was two ways as her mind actually wanted to believe that Susan would always really love her while her heart kept telling her she'd be out on the street within a week.

The younger Vandom had to hide a blush as her stomach gave off a quite rumble making Susan giggle a little which in turn made Will smile before giggling herself a little.

"Hmmm…Sounds like someone is a little hungry." Susan said with a small smile.

"But its only three in the morning." Will said in surprise when she looked at her clock, the flashing numbers surprising her a little. Susan was actually in here, though she came to comfort Will from the nightmare it ended up with both of them helping each other. She couldn't help but wonder if this was what a real mother and daughter who loved each other did. She wasn't sure but it was what she always dreamed of.

"So what, I don't think either of us are going to be getting back to sleep any time soon and my little girl is hungry so I plan to make her something to eat." Susan said with a smirk that confused Will until the older woman said, "Question is…Does she want food or…The ultimate sin and yet…The greatest gift from the heavens…"

"Wh-What?" Will said actually still confused even after Susan said that though the next word uttered by the woman had caused the redhead's brain to nearly shut down at the disbelief of it.

"Cheesecake of course!" Susan said causing Will's moth to water in ecstasy. She hadn't had cheesecake in forever since the last time she tried a piece and earned a severe punishment for daring touch her mother's sacred food. The weird part was where that woman had went psycho on the redhead for touching it this woman was actually wanting her to share it. Will couldn't help but start tearing up a little as she thought of the hell and pain her real mother caused her while this woman here looked exactly the same yet loved and wanted to protect her.

"Oh honey." Susan said softly pulling Will back into a hug, "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"I-It's ok mom, I just…Its so hard believing this is real and…I guess I was just thinking about her and you…And…God you love me more than the woman that gave birth to me…Why did she hate me so much?" Will cried as the thing that had been bothering her the most surfaced. Why did two woman who were basically the same be so different. How could that woman hate Will so much while this one seemed to love her so much.

"Oh honey, I wish I could just make you forget everything that happened. I'd never hurt you and I'll never let anyone else hurt you." Susan whispered into Will's red hair, smiling a little when the girl's stomach rumbled again. "Come on, let's go get that cheesecake."

NOTES

Sorry for the shortness of this chapter but I could barely finish it. I have the flu right now ant it kinda hurts to look at the screen right now.

Saber Wolf: Thankies, and even though you don't write yourself it doesn't stop you from enjoying a good story and I'm glad you are liking mine so far.

Philip Gipson: Thankies, I hope I can make Never a Normal Life a much better story that it already is as you are right, I am new at rewriting but I see so much more potential that could go into it.


	17. Chapter 17

Will leaned back against the couch as she sat on the floor with the coffee table pulled to her and her new notebook open on top of it. The Princess Diaries was playing on the television for the second time as she got used to the new computer. She had used computers before but not a lot and it took a little getting used to as she finally figured it out and was now surfing the internet looking at some of the current events and was shocked to see how many differences there were.

She was surprised to see George Bush in office as were she came from John Kerry had won and made a huge mess of things in the middle east. He refused to get involved with it and without the United States involvement it grew out of hand as a war grew over there to be one of the worst in the history of the world. A couple nuclear bombs were set off taking out much of Iraq, Iran and the bordering countries killing almost a million people total.

It was a relief to see that all those people hadn't died needlessly as many of them were innocent but it made this world seem even more alien to her. She was glad to see that Bush had went over there and taken some of the most tyrannical leaders in history out but while a lot of people had seemed to grow tired of it the redhead couldn't make an opinion about it as she still didn't know much about it. And even if she did, did she deserve to have an opinion about it?

"Whoa, it's almost noon." Will yawned as she stretched noticing what time it was. In a few more hours her 'mom' would be home and they were supposed to go out shopping while Dean and Tom came to put her television up in her room which for some reason bothered her a little. She really didn't know if she wanted the two in her room but she had made a promise not to try and move the thing to Susan which she wanted to keep.

The woman had done so much for her, even though they truly weren't related but that was a fact that didn't bother or stop Susan from taking the redhead in and giving her a home. A real home, a place where she was loved and wanted which was something she always dreamed of but a part of her wasn't sure if it would last. She wasn't the woman's daughter and when Susan realized it Will was afraid that it wouldn't be long after before the streets became her new home.

What she told them back on Candracar about preferring the streets to going back was the truth. She didn't want to go back to that pain she came from, the constant beatings and the things Dean did to her. She couldn't help letting a few tears fall as she remembered some of the stuff they did to her back on that world. Hugging herself as she thought how hard it would be on the streets it would be infinitely better than back there under their control and torture.

Shaking herself from those thoughts she turned the computer off and closed it, leaving it on the table as she pushed it away from herself. Climbing to her feet she almost fell as she couldn't stand on her left leg, it must have fallen asleep while sitting there for so long. She was going to make a snack for herself when the phone started ringing. At first she wasn't going to answer it but when she realized it may have been her mother so limped over to it.

"Hello, Vandom residence." Will said as she picked up the phone and was shocked at who was on the other end.

"Hey Will, I'm heading over to the Dragon to meet up with Elyon and Hay Lin and was hoping you'd join us." Cornelia said from the other end causing the redhead to almost drop the phone but she caught herself at the last moment. Why would this Cornelia want her to join them, she may not have been a bad as the redhead's Cornelia but surely the blonde didn't care too much about her still. Then again by the way the girls acted when she had come back from Candracar it seemed like they were all close friends, Will included. Problem was, they were friends with their Will not her. Could they even be friends with her? How different was she from their redheaded friend?

"You…You want me to join you?" Will asked in disbelief before she could stop herself. She didn't want to start anything with the blonde as Will wasn't really up to an argument but that wasn't what happened much to the redhead's surprise. Instead it sounded like Cornelia was fighting back tears as Will could have sworn she heard the blonde sniffle.

"Will…I…I'm sorry for how I acted when Elyon disappeared but I never meant that. I…We all love you and god we missed you so much." Cornelia said, her voice catching several times. "I…I never meant what I told you…I never wanted you to die. You have no idea how much I…How much we hurt when you disappeared and everyone was saying you had to be dead."

"Cornelia…It's okay…We all say things in the heat of the moment." Will said softly as her mind kept going over what the blonde had said. Cornelia had wanted her to die, well her Will anyways? That sounded a little more like the blonde Will remembered but to sound so broken and remorseful over it wasn't something Will expected. It made her wonder if lying to them and pretending to be their Will, pretending that everything was okay was even a good idea. In the end it could end up backfiring and hurting everyone involved even more.

"I…We're so glad that you're okay Will." Cornelia said, her voice obviously growing a little stronger as Will could almost see her trying to compose herself.

"Thanks Cornelia," Will said finally realizing something important, "Wait, I thought you were in school today."

"Not today, there was an attack at the portal close to the school and the canceled it today while they called in the experts." Cornelia said, mirth evident over the line in her voice. "It seems a certain red-haired girl had closed the portal but they want to make sure since the outpost was heavily damaged."

"Yeah, about that, I couldn't just leave it open and Cedric attacking all these people." Will sighed.

"Will…Where were you…Did they really have you?" Cornelia asked fearfully.

"I…I don't really want to talk about it right now, I'm sorry." Will sighed, not wanting to lie about where she's been but knowing she didn't have a choice for now. Thankfully the doorbell rang giving her an easy out. "Sorry Cornelia, I have to go there's someone at the door."

"Sure…Talk to you later." Cornelia said sadly before Will hit the end button finishing the call. She hurried to the door a little nervously as she wasn't too sure who it could be as she really didn't seem to know anyone here as everyone seemed different. Thankfully that perv no longer lived in the building though as he always creeped her out.

Opening the door she could have sworn she felt her heart stop as she saw Dean Collins standing in the doorway. Will was frozen on the spot as she stared at the man as fear filled her. She fell back a few steps hugging herself as she was on the verge of tears as her mind was screaming to run before he had the chance even though she knew it was always worse when she ran.

"Please don't…Please don't hurt me…" Will whimpered squeezing her eyes shut before feeling two sets of arms encircling her.

"No one is going to hurt you." A familiar voice said soothingly. Slowly opening her eyes Will saw Irma hugging her as well as Taranee. Looking up she saw a confused yet worried Dean and Tom. Apparently they had come early to set up the television.

"God what happened to you Will?" Taranee asked sadly as Will shook a little sure that they were going to start wailing on her at any moment. Taking several deep breaths she forcefully shoved that out of her mind the best she could. She was still scared but at least she was getting it under control as she extracted herself out of the two girls arms.

"Sorry we're early Will but Tom had to switch shifts with someone tonight so this is the only time we could come by." Dean explained, "Is it okay if we do it? If you're uncomfortable with us being here we can come back later."

"N-No…It's fine, why wouldn't it be?" Will laughed nervously as she looked from person to person. She finally sighed and started walking back toward her mom's room, "Come on, I'll show you where it is."

She couldn't help calling herself dummy as she was sure Dean knew the place as well as his own. She had noticed the huge amount of photo's in the apartment that was mainly of her but there was a great deal of them with Susan and Dean with Will. It seemed like the three were a happy family and there were no hints of sadness or pain it that redhead's eyes.

"If you want we can go get something for lunch while the rents work." Irma said hopefully. That actually did seem like a good idea to Will as she weighed the evils of the two choices. She could stay in an apartment, closed spaces with the man who made her life hell for so long. The man who she was constantly afraid of becoming pregnant with his child by force. On the other hand she could go out with two girls who had beaten her though she had to admit it wasn't as bad as the others.

"That could work." Will said smiling weakly.

WITCH

'Irma, there's something weird going on with Will.' Taranee said as Will was getting changed to go out. She made a mental link with Irma so no one would hear what they were saying as she was really worried about the redhead but didn't want her to get angry. 'Her memories…'

'TARANEE!' Irma gasped mentally, disapprovingly while at the same time curious to what the fire guardian had seen. 'We agreed no eavesdropping.'

'That's the point, I wasn't spying on her.' Taranee sighed, 'She was so scared that she was broadcasting memories but they were so jumbled but…God, in them Mister Collins was raping her and we were beating the crap out of her.'

'WHAT!' Irma cried out, having to fight from doing so vocally. What the heck had happened to their friend, did Phobos do all that to her while making her believe it was them? She swore vehemently to herself that if she ever got the chance that she would make the Meridian prince pay for it.

'It seemed so real to her, Irma…She really believes it was us.' Taranee said sadly over the link.

'But…She has to know we would never do that to her.' Irma said though she was unsure. The prince was a master of lies and deception, just ask Elyon who was his own sister. If he was planning on killing her just to get her power what would he have done to someone who wasn't even of his own blood?

'I…I think she knows that but…It's hard separating what you know from what you feel. Didn't you see her keeping a close eye on all of us?' Taranee sighed.

"So, you ready?" Will asked nervously coming back down the hallway startling the two.

"Yep, you look great Will." Irma said as Will smiled a little embarrassed. Irma looked closely at the redhead and indeed saw her keeping her eyes on them though Irma wasn't sure the redhead even knew she was doing it.

NOTES

Philip Gipson: Thankies, I wanted to show that she is still scared and will have nightmares as what she went through can't be magically cured instantly but Susan loves her and wants to be there for her and Will wants to trust her though a part of her is still scared. I did love the KP episode but I'm really sad that it had to end. Thankies, I am feeling much better now.

Saber Wolf: Thankies and I will keep that in mind and try to work something out on it. It's hard finding a good place to stop a chappie sometimes. It's cool, I am feeling much better now and hopefully will be getting back into the swing of things a little better but with my job and starting to see a shrink (Don't wanna talk about it) I still probably won't be able to write more than a couple chappies a week.


End file.
